Nerissa Ravencroft just released her take on Bad Apple!! — and she didn’t just cover it, she wrote a completely original set of English lyrics for one of the most iconic Touhou arrangements in existence. That’s a bold move for a song this recognizable, and it pays off.
The Song Everyone Already Knows
Bad Apple!! started life as an instrumental Touhou Project arrangement by Alstroemeria Records featuring vocalist Nomico, and it’s since become one of the most covered, remixed, and silhouette-animated pieces of music on the internet. Its melody is instantly recognizable even to people who’ve never heard the original lyrics — which makes writing a brand new lyrical layer over it a genuinely difficult needle to thread.
Original Lyrics, Not a Translation
Rather than translating the original Japanese lyrics, Nerissa wrote her own English lyrics from scratch, built around themes of isolation, self-doubt, and the exhausting cycle of trying to change while fearing you’re beyond saving. It’s dark, introspective material that leans fully into the song’s melancholic instrumental rather than fighting against it — a smart choice given how much emotional weight the melody already carries on its own.
The Team Behind the Cover
Cover production came from the Asteroid Music Team, with mixing and mastering by Johnny R, harmony arrangement and vocal guides from MoniiBagel, instrumental recreation by Ari, and the accompanying visuals directed by kanauru — a name well known in the hololive scene for strong, atmospheric music videos. That’s a genuinely stacked credit list for a cover, and it shows in how cohesive the final result feels.
Why Writing New Lyrics Was the Right Call
Plenty of Bad Apple!! covers stick to variations on the same lyrical themes or skip lyrics entirely in favor of the instrumental. Nerissa going the harder route — writing something wholly her own on top of one of the internet’s most recognizable melodies — turns a familiar song into something that actually feels like hers, rather than one more entry in an already enormous pile of covers.
Track Credits
- Title: Bad Apple!!
- Original Song: Alstroemeria Records feat. Nomico
- Vocals & English Lyrics: Nerissa Ravencroft
- Cover Production: Asteroid Music Team
- Mix / Master: Johnny R
- Harmony Arrangement / Guides: MoniiBagel
- Instrumental Recreation: Ari
- Movie: kanauru
▶ Watch: Nerissa Ravencroft — Bad Apple!! (English Cover) on YouTube
