Producing Songs I’ve Never Heard: ExtraL by JENNIE & Doechii [EPISODE 1]

What happens when you produce a song without ever hearing the original? We’re about to find out.

This week, I’m launching a new series—Producing Songs I’ve Never Heard—where I take an existing acapella vocal from a song I’ve never heard and create my own version, completely blind. No context, no references, just me and the vocal. This is a creative challenge I’ve used a lot in the past to break out of overthinking. By using a random vocal as a guide, I can make fast, instinctive choices with no preconceptions of what the track ‘should’ sound like.

For episode one, I’m using the vocals from ExtraL by JENNIE & Doechii. I really didn’t know what to expect going into this—K-pop productions can be anything, and with Doechii involved, there could be rap, R&B, or something completely unexpected. But my goal isn’t to recreate the original—just to listen and make something that sounds cool.

Watch the episode here:

If you’re new here, I’m Kristina Rossi, an independent artist, songwriter, and producer from LA with a focus on electronic-infused pop. I’ve been making music since I was 4 (starting with piano), and last year, I released my first EP Rings of Saturn, which I fully self-produced. Right now, I’m working on my second EP that’ll be released later this year—so if you’re into what I’ve decided to call ‘dystopian artpop,’ stick around!

Here’s the acapella if you want to play along and hear what I heard first:

Jennie ft Doechii - ExtraL (Studio Acapella/Vocals Only)

If you also haven’t heard the original, here’s the big reveal:

JENNIE, Doechii - ExtraL (Official Video)

What do you think? Mine ended up not that far off style-wise I think. I thought the 808/kick heaviness in the original was really unexpected, but I was wondering the whole time what they could possibly have in store when that Doechii verse came in. Since there was so much going on in the vocal, I think the real challenge with this song was not overdoing the instrumental. I figured the original couldn’t have too many different elements because of that.

What do you think? Did I get anywhere close to the original vibe, or did I go off in a completely different direction? Let me know in the comments! Also, what song should I do next?