Battle of the Songs: SHINee vs Mohamed Ali

I always wanted to talk about the covers of various songs. However, I want to try to do in a competition style: one version vs. another version. I don’t know if I am going to do this weekly or monthly yet. I have so much content that I have yet to publish. But, here is the first one!
So here is the very first “Battles of the Songs”: SHINee vs. Mohamed Ali

Mohamed Ali – “Hola” (2009)


First off is Mohamed Ali’s 2009 song “Hola” from his only album Keep It Simple. If you don’t know who Ali is, let me do a basic introduction. Mohamed Ali is a Danish singer who has Egyptian and Iraqi origins. He competed in Season 2 of the Danish version of The X Factor, coming in third place. After the competition, Ali went on to open for Beyonce’s tour when she came to Denmark and signed a contract with Sony Music. He released one album, Keep It Simple. Ali’s latest single was released in 2013, entitled “Unbreakable”. The song placed second in the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, a competition to determine who can represent Denmark in the yearly Eurovision competition.
“Hola” seems like an innocent song, something akin to Justin Bieber’s early works. Ali’s talented vocals do shine through as they are very fluid and smooth throughout the song. However, his vocals do possess that innocent, young sense.  This quality could be a turn off for older listeners who don’t prefer younger male vocals like Justin Bieber or Aaron Carter. You can tell that this song was catered more to a younger audience. But, I don’t mind it. I think his boyish vocals hold a great fluidity, has a great tone and brings youthfulness to the song.


SHINee – “Hello” (2010)


About a year later after “Hola” was released, SHINee released their own cover of the song. SHINee is a  boy band from South Korea who has been releasing music since 2008. Currently, there are four members: Key, Onew, Taemin, and Minho. There was a fifth member, Jonghyun, but he committed suicide last year.
My brother and I are huge SHINee fans. I have been a fan since their release of the EP Sherlock in 2012. I am in love with Onew because of his boyish charm, deep voice, and the fact that he is so cute. So, excuse me why I fangirl, but I promise that I won’t be biased and pick based on my fangirl preferences.
But, moving onto Shinee’s “Hello,” this version contains a more professional sound. How the song is mixed is better than “Hola” as it features instrumentation with deeper bass. The instrumentation is more grounded than “Hola,” which is airier and bubblegum pop-like. Maybe this more grounded instrumentation reflexes on the vocal tone of each member, which is thicker than Ali’s.
If I have to choose between SHINee or Mohamed Ali, I would select SHINee’s “Hello” as it is more polished and more professional sounding. Even if you remove the talented vocals, the instrumentation for SHINee’s version is mixed very well and features a more grounded sound.


What Will It Be?

Now it is your turn to vote! Who will be the victor of the first-ever “Battle of the Songs”? Tell me in the comments below! Also, tell me why you choose a particular version! I can’t wait to hear what you guys think!

This Post Has 148 Comments

  1. Neil Alvin Nicerio

    Just heard them for the first time. My cash is on Mohamed Ali.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  2. Mini blogs

    great post . loved the battle between the both. I prefer mohammed ali though

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  3. pslater1972

    Never heard of either of these musicians, I’m hopelessly out of touch. I think I preferred Mohamed Ali though.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  4. Mary B

    These are both new to me musicians, but i’m going to go with SHINee. Regarding your question about how frequent you should do these battles – I may have a solution for you 🙂 I participate in a blog hop called “Battle of the Bands”. We post twice a month (most of us anyway – some only post once a month) on the 1st and the 15th of every month. Everyone posts their own battles, and then everyone visits each other’s blogs and cast our votes. It really is a lot of fun and it’s a great way to network with other music bloggers. If you’re interested, check out Stephen’s blog (he’s our fearless bloghop leader) Tell him you’re interested by commenting on his blog, then simply join in the fun! You can find Stephen’s blog at http://stmccpresentsbattleofthebands.blogspot.com
    ~Mary

  5. Pauline

    SHINee does a much better job

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  6. Amanda Sharp

    Never heard of either of these musicians, I tend to like oldies and country.

  7. Euro Travel Coach

    Interesting post about music I am unfamiliar with. My husband is a saxophone player so I know a bit about jazz, but the info in this post is new to me. Enjoy the music! Thanks for sharing.

    1. aisasami

      You are very welcome. I always wanted to play the sax because I love jazz, but I like more modern jazz. How about you, do you modern jazz or classic jazz?

  8. Nate

    Just listened to Mohamed Ali’s song. Pretty dope! 😊

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  9. tennismom miami

    I listened to both because I’m unfamiliar with them, i think i like Shinee better.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  10. marettemendoza

    I am unfamiliar with these artists but I think this is such an interesting idea for a post! I will have to listen.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks! Let me know who you like better so you can cast your vote for the competition!

  11. k8kreates

    I don’t know either of these artists or tunes… and they’re not really my taste but if I had to pick one, I think it would be SHINee!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  12. Everything Eden

    Great post. Really well done x

    1. aisasami

      Thanks! What is your favorite version?

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks! Let me know which one is your favorite so you can cast your vote in this competition!

  13. Amber Myers

    I haven’t heard of any of these people! I only had time to listen to a few seconds of each, but I’d go for SHINee.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  14. Natalia

    I think I like both of them as they are pretty similar, but I prefer SHINee a little bit more. I haven’t heard of them before, so it was a great possibility to get to know something new. 🙂

    1. aisasami

      I love SHINee! They are great! Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  15. marjiemare

    Although I have never heard of either song, to me they are both cool.

    1. aisasami

      Let know which one is your favorite!

  16. incalexandra

    I was not familiar with either artist! I think I prefer SHINee, although I enjoyed both of them!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

    1. aisasami

      Ahhh, they do sound like each other but it’s the voice and the instrumentation that is different. Mohemed is more of a bubblegum pop sound, like Bieber, and SHINee is more of a mature pop sound.

  17. Beth Deyo

    What a fun post! This is something I’ve never heard before. Thanks for sharing.

    1. aisasami

      You are welcome! Which one was your favorite?

  18. Stephanie

    This is my first time hearing these songs, but I prefer the Ali version. Then again, I’ve never been big on boy bands after my middle school years.

    1. aisasami

      Really? Were you in high school during or before the whole boy bands rage of the late 90s/early 2000s? I was in middle school when it happened and everyone had a crush at least one boy band member from a group.

  19. Christa Anne

    Both of these musicians are new to me. My vote has to go to Mohamed Ali.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  20. Joshua

    Interesting post, Im never the first to find new music. Thanks for sharing the musicians with me.

    1. aisasami

      Let me know which one you like so you can cast your vote i this competition!

  21. Jack Bransson

    I havent heard of these singers and seems they have nice beat and songs.

    1. aisasami

      Let me know which one you like so you can cast your vote i this competition!

  22. Devyani Ray

    Never heard these songs. But they are good. Thanks for sharing.

    1. aisasami

      Let me know which one you like so you can cast your vote i this competition!

  23. Angela Tolsma

    Totally going with SHINee. I just love the song. I haven’t heard of either of these guys though so it’s probably not a far judgement of the artist

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  24. Jennifer Brock

    Never heard either of these artists. I am more of a metal head. My husband would prob like the sound of these.

    1. aisasami

      Ooooh, I love metal too. Who are your favorite metal artists?

  25. Dalene Ekirapa

    I always love covers because they come out always much better. And I love Hello by SHINee! Woow! It’s awesome!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  26. With Love Moni

    Battle of songs I saw it first on a friends blog. I didn’t know except shinee the others were into singing too. So I’m going for Shinee

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs! BTW, which blog did you see it from?

  27. I had never heard of either of these musicians, so I listened to both. I liked shinee best.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  28. TheSuperMomLife

    I’ve never heard of these songs or artists. It’s nice to hear them!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks! Which one do you like the best?

  29. Anshula

    I’ve never heard of either of these song versions before reading this post! I love your detailed evaluation of each and I enjoyed watching the videos. I’m going to have to go with SHINee though…

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  30. chelf

    I work in the music industry and I create content for various artists but this is way out of my genre! Very different indeed! It was fun to listen to something different!

  31. Waren Jean

    I am a big Kpop fanatic so without a doubt I choose shinee. Unfortunately, I have not heard about the other singer until today.

    1. aisasami

      High Five for being a Kpop fan! Which artist do you like? I like a mixture of old and new. I like SNSD, Blackpink, SHINee, SES, H.O.T, Seo Taiji, BoA, and etc.

  32. I have got to say, I love my music, so this post is fab. Battle songs always get the motivation going for sure xx

  33. Joanna

    It’s interesting how sometimes a cover can be better than the original. I have never heard of any of these singers before reading your post.

    1. aisasami

      That is the beauty of discovering of something new!

  34. I think I like the SHINee’s “Hello” better. But only for the reason of the different vocals and instruments which together, created a fuller sound. But I am not sure it’s really a fair comparison 🙂

    1. aisasami

      That is what I thought so too. Thanks!

  35. heidifowler

    I like the first one, but I loved watching the dancing in the second one. It’s so hard to compare.

  36. Lex

    Ali does it for me. Old and easy fix for music does it for me. ShineE is good though but way back Ali for me.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  37. Karen Monica

    Never heard of both but thanks to you I heard of them now. For the battle of this two.. I will choose SHINee.
    P/s I have emailed you the details about the round-up post. Hope you had it

    1. aisasami

      Thanks, I got that! I write it up this weekend.

  38. Surekha Busa

    First time for me to hear both artists and I prefer to listen to the both version they are both beautiful and I like it.

    1. aisasami

      It’s ok to vote both! Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  39. Geraline Batarra

    Honestly this is my first time hearing this songs both are good and beautiful but I enjoyed listening with the version of Shinee.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  40. Jessica Lyles, LMSW

    I enjoyed Shin nee,as other have said I am out of touch with the latest in music and appreciate you linking the videos to check out both conveniently.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  41. brianmayroam

    Well, I will have to listen to each song a few times first. My preferences always change over time as well.

    1. aisasami

      No problem, let me know which one is your favorite so you can cast your vote in this competition!

  42. marjiemare

    Now, I came back and listen to both again. I will definitely go with SHINee

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  43. Marysa

    I haven’t heard of these performers, and I’ve only seen the show a few times. I’ll have to check them out some time.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks! Let me know which one you like better!

  44. Hey Sharonoox

    It’s so hard to choose between the two, Both groups has talented artists but if I have to choose, I’d have to go with SHINee. K-POP singers are so cute!

    1. aisasami

      Aren’t they? Who is your favorite Kpop boy?

  45. Never heard of these performers, but both songs are awesome! I think, if I’d have to choose, I’d go with Hello!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  46. Surekha Busa

    To be honest, I haven’t heard them sing so I don’t know what I will write here. But from the post above I think they have their own genre of song and they are both good.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  47. brooklynrepro

    I never heard of ether of them. I do like them both but I would have to go with Mohamed Ali.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  48. Ha! I have never heard of these people before. But they’re both very talented so it’s hard to say! Ali perhaps?!?!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  49. Pradnya

    Haven’t heard of both them before. I have have only heard that k pop is a big thing nowadays. I have gotten introduced to a lot of musicians through your blog.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks! Check out this blog for more recommendations and perhaps a new favorite!

  50. Linda Kasabian

    I totally agree with you!! Hola reminds me a lot of this pop sound from the nineties, of Aaron Carter, Britney Spears tunes, you know. I know about SHINee a little bit but I think I prefer more the real version of the song

    1. aisasami

      😀 Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  51. The J Teem

    I have not heard of either of them in music. After listening, I prefer SHINee. I am more of a country music fan.

  52. brittanyleigh224

    I’ve never heard of either of these artists. You provide great comparisons for both of them!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks! Let me know which one is your favorite so you can cast your vote in this competition!

  53. Mommy Sigrid

    Hmmm I am not familiar with SHINee. I will check them out. hihi So far, I only know BTS.

    1. aisasami

      I like BTS but not a big fan. They got in trouble here in Japan last week for their shirts.

  54. Jana

    Cool post! And the voting process is hard for me here. I’m one of those people that have to look at everything as a whole. I like to look at stage presence and more than just voices, so i think I would have to go with SHINee just because of the videography and his stage presence.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  55. Annie Cho

    I definitely prefer Shinee’s Hello a lot more. Like you said it’s a lot more polished, the vocals are better, and the choreography is amazing as well.
    xoxo
    Annie

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  56. Whenever voting, it`s all about the mood I am into. So I would probably choose Shinee. Such a cool blog post idea!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  57. toastycritic

    Shinee does do a really fun version of it. And I love the video. But I will have to go with Mohamed as the version I prefer and it’s original.

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  58. Sheree

    I like both of these musicians, very cool post, thanks for sharing!
    ~xo Sheree
    poshclassymom.com

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  59. playinspiredmum

    What a great review! I hadn’t heard of either of these artists prior to reading your post. Thank you for sharing!

    1. aisasami

      You are welcome! What your favorite version?

  60. Trenye B.

    I have never heard of either group or songs. But if i had to make a choice, it would Shinee

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  61. I had never heard either of these, but I love hearing new music! I definitely preferred Mohamed Ali’s version though!

    1. aisasami

      Thanks for the vote! Check back Monday to see who won the first Battle of the Songs!

  62. Bindu Thomas

    What a fun post! I had never heard either song but I like the second one better!

  63. Sayanti

    I listened to the songs and my vote goes to Shinee. This is a very interesting post

  64. Elizabeth O

    Wishing you all best and much success. Go for it!

Leave a Reply