You know that feeling when you're humming a tune, you go to pull it up on Spotify, and it’s just... gone? Greyed out. Unplayable. It happened with Kilotile Cry To Me, and honestly, the internet is still a little bit confused about where the "good version" went.
If you spent any time on TikTok or YouTube between 2015 and 2022, you definitely heard it. It’s that infectious, high-energy dance flip of Solomon Burke’s 1961 soul classic. It’s the kind of track that makes you want to drive a little too fast or dance in a kitchen you should probably be cleaning instead. But for a long time, the track's digital footprint was a mess of takedowns, re-uploads, and weird record label politics.
Basically, the story of Kilotile and his most famous remix is a lesson in how modern music contracts can sometimes accidentally erase the very hits that make an artist famous in the first place.
Why did Kilotile Cry To Me vanish from Spotify?
In August 2022, fans noticed something weird. The version of Cry To Me they had on their playlists—the one with millions of streams—suddenly vanished. It wasn't a glitch. Kilotile actually had to scrub it himself.
Imagine working for years to build a following around a single song, only to be told you have to delete it. That’s exactly what happened. Kilotile signed a deal with Polydor Records (part of the Universal Music family), and as part of the transition to a major label, they wanted a "clean slate."
They weren't being mean, or at least they didn't think they were. They wanted the newer, polished version produced by Billen Ted to be the primary version people found. The logic was simple: get all the listeners onto the version the label actually owned. But for fans of the "original" 2015 Kilotile remix, it felt like a betrayal.
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The social media fallout
Kilotile was actually pretty transparent about the whole thing on his social media. He told fans that to stay with the label, he had to take down Cry To Me from every album and streaming platform, including TikTok and Snapchat. It wasn't just the song, either. His albums Kilotile and Unite were collateral damage.
He called it a "hard decision." No kidding.
What makes this version so different?
If you listen to the original Solomon Burke version, it’s a slow-burn soul masterpiece. It’s about loneliness. It’s about that "paradigm for Southern soul ballads" energy that Bert Berns wrote into it back in the sixties.
Kilotile didn't just cover it; he injected it with pure adrenaline.
- The Tempo: He bumped it up to a danceable BPM that worked in clubs.
- The Bass: It’s got that signature EDM "thump" that the 1961 version obviously lacked.
- The Hook: By looping the "cry, cry, cry" vocal, he turned a sad sentiment into a hypnotic club anthem.
Some people think it’s sacrilege to mess with a Solomon Burke classic. I get that. But music is a living thing. Kilotile introduced a whole generation of Gen Z and Alpha kids to a soul legend they otherwise never would have heard of. That's gotta count for something.
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The many versions of Kilotile Cry To Me
Because of the label drama, there are actually several versions floating around the internet. If you're looking for the "right" one, it depends on what you're after.
The 2015 Original was the raw, DIY version that first blew up. It had a certain grit to it that the later versions lacked. Then came the 2020 Radio Edit, which was a bit more refined but kept the soul of the original remix. Finally, the 2022 Polydor release—produced by Billen Ted—is the one you’ll mostly find on streaming today.
It’s cleaner. The mixing is "better" by technical standards. But does it have the same magic? That’s up for debate.
There’s even a Christmas version. Yes, really. Released in late 2022. It’s... exactly what you think a dance-remix-soul-holiday-mashup would sound like. Weird, but somehow it works if you’ve had enough eggnog.
How to find the "Original" Kilotile version now
If you’re a purist and the new streaming version isn't hitting the spot, you aren't totally out of luck.
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Kilotile kept the original versions on his YouTube channel. Labels usually focus on "monetized streaming" like Spotify and Apple Music, often leaving YouTube as a sort of archive for the stuff they forced the artist to delete elsewhere. You can still find the old dance videos and the 2015 audio there if you dig through the uploads.
What’s next for Kilotile?
Since the big Cry To Me purge of 2022, Kilotile hasn't just sat around. He’s been working on new projects like the Empower album and tracks like Shining Star. He’s trying to move past being "the guy who did that one remix" and establish himself as a serious producer in the EDM space.
It’s a tough transition. When your biggest hit is a remix of a 60-year-old song, the industry tends to pigeonhole you. But by playing festivals like the Northern Vibe Festival and continuing to release original work, he’s carving out a space that belongs to him, not just a legacy cover.
Actionable advice for music lovers
If you love a song by an independent artist, download it. Don't just rely on streaming.
- Buy the digital file: Sites like Bandcamp or even iTunes (if people still use that) give you a file that can't be taken away by a label dispute.
- Follow the artist directly: Get on their mailing list or follow their Discord. If their music gets pulled, they’ll usually tell you where to find the "secret" mirrors.
- Support the originals: If you love the Kilotile remix, go listen to Solomon Burke. Understanding the DNA of a song makes the remix even more satisfying.
Music history is full of these weird gaps where songs disappear for years because of a signature on a piece of paper. The Kilotile Cry To Me saga is just the modern version of that old story. It’s back now, mostly, but the lesson remains: digital ownership is an illusion. Keep your favorites close, and your MP3s closer.
The newest version of the track is available on all major platforms, and while it might not be the exact one from your 2018 memories, it still carries that same energy that made it a hit in the first place.