Years & Years Perform Moody Mashup of ’Hotline Bling’ + ‘Dark Horse’

Popular newcomers Years & Years are no strangers to covers. They quite like them, seeing as how they've performed their version of Britney Spears' "Toxic" at multiple live shows during their tour in support of Communion. Carly Rae Jepsen even returned the favor by giving the band's hit single "King" an acoustic makeover on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.

The boys of Years & Years recently appeared on the same BBC Radio 1 show to perform two more covers in mashup form: Drake's "Hotline Bling" and Katy Perry's "Dark Horse."

The performance begins with Olly Alexander's breathy take on "Dark Horse," sounding almost like Justin Timberlake despite the band's signature moody synthesizers thumping in the background. As Alexander reaches the last lines of the chorus—"'Cuz once you're mine, once you're mine..."—he pauses and looks away momentarily as he and the band seamlessly switch gears to "Hotline Bling," picking up with the lyrics "I know when that hotline bling / That can only mean one thing."

Alexander's delivery of the song's iconic lines, "You used to call me on my cell phone / Late night when you need my love" captures Drake's spirit but manages to make them his own. Gone is any trace of silliness in hearing the word "cell phone"; in its place is a heightened sense of intimacy and even sadness. Watch the BBC session above.

See Years & Years + Other Celebs at the 2015 BBC Music Awards