“The Cranberries Made ‘Zombie’ Unforgettable, but Wait Until You Hear These Two Sing It.”

Jacob Koopman and Kyla Belle bring two very different voices together for a powerful street performance of Zombie. Both are familiar faces in Dublin’s busking scene, and their blend gives The Cranberries’ classic a softer, more intimate edge without losing the weight of the song.

The harmonies are the reason to keep listening. Jacob’s fuller tone and Kyla’s clear vocal sit beautifully together, especially when the refrain opens up and the crowd around them fades into the background.

The clip starts casually, with a quick thank-you and a little conversation before Jacob Koopman and Kyla Belle settle into Zombie.

Once they begin singing, the mood changes quickly. Jacob’s fuller vocal and Kyla’s lighter tone meet in the middle, giving the song a different shape from The Cranberries’ original without losing its intensity.

Their harmonies are strongest when the refrain opens up. Neither singer tries to overpower the other. Instead, they leave space for both voices, letting the melody carry the weight of the song.

That balance is especially effective in a street setting, where there is no elaborate production to hide behind. The voices have to do the work, and here they do.

Zombie Still Carries a Heavy History

The Cranberries released Zombie in 1994, with Dolores O’Riordan writing the song in response to the 1993 Warrington bombings in England.

That history gives any cover a difficult emotional task. The song is angry, mournful, and unmistakably tied to loss, which means a softer performance can easily lose some of its force.

Koopman and Belle avoid that problem. Their version is more intimate, but the tension remains in the delivery. The harmonies bring warmth to the melody while the song’s darker edge stays underneath.

The Cranberries’ official Zombie video makes a useful companion listen, especially for hearing how differently the song can work with two voices instead of one.

For Jacob Koopman, a street performance like this is familiar territory.

Originally from Bali, Indonesia, he later made Dublin his creative home and has worked as a full-time musician since 2012. Grafton Street became one of his regular stages, where busking gave him years of experience performing directly to passing crowds.

That street career eventually opened other doors. Koopman has appeared in Niall Horan’s Homecoming documentary alongside Lewis Capaldi, represented Dublin City Council’s Busker Fleadh, and taken his live show into larger venues.

He also works well beyond acoustic street covers. His music often uses loop stations and layered live production, and he has released material under other projects including JakuBeats and the progressive metal project Futurescape.

Kyla Belle also comes from Dublin’s busking scene and has performed regularly on Grafton Street.

Her background stretches across pop, singer-songwriter music, musical theater, and choir. She has competed in Irish music festivals and has sung with RTÉ Cór Linn, after previously performing with the RTÉ Cór na nÓg children’s choir.

That wider vocal experience comes through in a duet like this. She knows when to step forward and when to blend, which matters in a song where the emotional strength comes as much from the shared vocal as from either singer alone.

The performance also appears in our collection of five memorable street performances, alongside other clips where a public setting becomes part of the music.

A Street Duet That Lets the Voices Lead

There is very little decoration around this performance. Two singers, a familiar song, a live street setting, and a crowd close enough to feel part of the moment.

That simplicity suits Jacob Koopman and Kyla Belle well.

Their version of Zombie does not try to outdo The Cranberries’ original. Instead, it finds another way into the song through harmony, restraint, and the connection between two voices.

For more from Jacob, fans can visit his YouTube channel or follow him on Facebook. Kyla Belle also shares performances through her YouTube channel and Facebook page.