Paul Woolford and Pessto Remix Destiny's Child Classic 'Bills, Bills, Bills'
Between Drake’s album Honestly, Nevermind and the Beyoncé single “Break My Soul,” house music has proven a popular (if not controversial) pursuit for chart-toppers in recent weeks. Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Electronic music mainstay Paul Woolford has collaborated with Serbian producer Pessto on a house track titled “Can You Pay” that samples the 1999 Destiny’s Child classic “Bills, Bills, Bills.”
The official remix was “personally approved and signed” by the ‘90s girl group — of which Beyoncé was a member. It’s easy to hear why. Woolford and Pessto pair the iconic hook of the source material with danceable peaks and valleys in their rendition, punctuated by emphatic keys and underscored by a rubbery bass line.
“Can You Pay” is a far cry from the challenging soundscapes that define Woolford’s output as Special Request, ranging from Detroit-reminiscent techno like “Achilles” to the tougher rhythms of “Curtain Twitcher.” It fits well alongside his latest offerings, however. Club-friendly vocal house collaborations such as “Promises” with Diplo and “Tear Drops” with MK stand out in his recent discography.
Nor is it entirely off-brand for the sampled party. While headlines about Beyoncé resurrecting house music with “Break My Soul” triggered resounding groans from genre enthusiasts worldwide, better-informed journalists like Brittany Gaston point out that house has bubbled up to the surface of pop culture numerous times since it coalesced in Chicago’s gay, Black nightlife community in the ‘80s. In the ‘90s, it arrived in the form of hit singles like “Show Me Love” by Robin S and “100% Pure Love” by Crystal Waters. More recently, FISHER’s 2018 single “Losing It” reached #1 on Billboard’s “Dance Club Songs” chart.
How many more pop icons are about to find refuge in the house that Jack built? As with any music trend, that remains to be seen. In the meantime, “Can You Pay” by Paul Woolford and Pessto is available for streaming and purchase across platforms here.
