Magi Merlin covers IDLES on bold new single POP POP POP

In the midst of a European tour, Magi Merlin releases a cover of English post-punk band IDLES’ song POP POP POP. Working with longtime collaborator Funkywhat, Merlin reinterpreted the track through a UK garage lens, emphasizing its rhythmic energy and adding melodic depth through layers of vocal harmonies. The result highlights her ability to transform influences into something distinctively her own by reimagining rather than replicating.

IDLES are a great inspiration for me, says Magi. I love their visuals and I think they give one of the best live shows out there right now. I also love the feeling I get when listening to their music, especially POP POP POP. It’s brutal, but delivered in such a soft way. The juxtaposition is so clever. I find the simplicity of the lyrics doesn’t take away from the impact they leave on the listener, that's very inspiring to me.

While UK garage might seem like a surprising stylistic choice for an originally guitar-based rock song, the idea makes perfect sense upon closer examination. The drums on the original song already live in a UKG pocket, you just need to speed them up to get the right groove, explains Magi. Apart from flipping the instrumental, I also loaded up the track with harmonies, especially in the hook. I don’t tend to shy away from vocal harmonies, it was my way of contributing a bit of myself to this version of the song. 

Magi Merlin performed POP POP POP for a Glamcult TV live session which is out now. Following recent shows in Paris and Hamburg, she will be performing in London and San Francisco before coming back to Quebec for a series of dates across the province. See the list below for all details.

About Magi Merlin

Magi Merlin [pronounced Mahd-j-eye] grew up in Saint-Lazare, a suburb of Montreal, and coined her own genre: Broken R&B. Blending pop, ’90s house, R&B, and hip-hop with a sharp eye for fashion and visual storytelling, her work challenges ideas of belonging, identity, and normalcy.

Her audacious 2022 EP Gone Girl earned praise from outlets such as Bandcamp Daily, The FADER, The Line of Best Fit, and Nylon, and led to tours with Noga Erez and Omar Apollo. In 2025, she surprised fans with A Weird Little Dog, released just as she began a US tour supporting saxophonist Nubya Garcia. That momentum carried her through a busy summer at Canadian festivals including OSHEAGA, Montreal International Jazz Festival, Ottawa Jazz Festival, and FEQ, where she opened for Ty Dolla $ign.

Now, Merlin is showing no signs of slowing down. Alongside her recent acting debut in Chandler Levack’s Mile End Kicks (TIFF 2025), she returns with a bold reimagining of IDLES’ POP POP POP, flipping the song through a UK garage lens while showcasing the harmonies and emotional range that define her sound. Each release reveals just a glimpse of what she’s building – a tension that hints at a greater body of work ahead.

Follow Magi Merlin: Instagram / TikTok / YouTube / Bandcamp

Tour dates

+ Opening for Debby Friday

* Double bill with BéLi