Electric 5 Gives The Rolling Stones a Pulse of Pure Electricity

Chicago’s own Electric 5 is rewriting what live music can sound like. Their newest release, a bold take on The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” replaces guitars and drums with electrified violins and cellos—creating a sound that’s fierce, cinematic, and unapologetically live.

The all-female group—Adia, Kelsee Vandervall, Erica Carpenedo, Violetta Todorova, and Lillian Pettit—recorded the song in one take at Coda Room Audio in Chicago. The mix and master came from Grammy-winning engineer James Auwarter in London, adding clarity to the raw, high-energy performance. The arrangement, crafted by Dusan Sarapa and Adia, highlights the group’s ability to merge classical technique with rock intensity.

From the first cello strike to the final violin note, the track carries the same weight and urgency as the original, but through a completely different lens. Every sound you hear is real: no backing tracks, no looping, just five musicians bringing their instruments to life. The result is a cover that feels more like a reinvention, blending the aggression of rock with the depth and emotion of string performance.

Electric 5 first turned heads with their explosive cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” That release set the tone for their “no-tracks” philosophy, meaning everything is played live, nothing is faked. “Paint It Black” takes that concept even further, pushing their creativity to new extremes and proving that the power of rock doesn’t depend on distortion pedals or studio magic.

Born out of Chicago’s rich music scene, Electric 5 stands at the intersection of grit and grace. Their mission is clear: to remind the world that live musicianship is alive and well, and that strings can still make speakers shake. With “Paint It Black,” Electric 5 claim their place in the modern rock conversation.