T-Pain Drops the Auto-Tune in His ‘Drowning Again’ Video

Until now, T-Pain was known only as the guy who essentially invented auto-tuning -- making it a regular-use tool in tracks like his own 'Buy UA Drank,' as well as a funny additive in some punny-er songs, like the Lonely Island's 'I'm On a Boat.' But in his new 'Drowning Again' video, Pain trades his vocal tuning in for some sweet and melodic notes.

As the video opens, we don't see much in the dark room other than a grand piano with T-Pain seated at the keys. When he starts to play, our jaws hit the floor; T-Pain is incredibly vocally talented! The hip-hop star lets his voice speak for itself in this video, which has no special effects and is really just five minutes of the camera circling him at the piano.

'Drowning Again' is surprisingly soulful, sensuous and actually really sad -- three descriptives you'd never expect to hear referring to a T-Pain track, but we're loving it. We don't think the Pain should mask his talented vocal skills with auto-tuning any longer! Bring on a T-Pain ballad album!

If this is any indication of what's to come, we think T-Pain's forthcoming 'RevolveR' album -- which drops on Dec. 6 -- is going to be a big radio star.

Watch the T-Pain 'Drowning Again' Video