Photo by Steve Jennings

As part of VEVO's Unexpected Covers series, Mayer Hawthorne has covered young Lorde's No. 1 song "Royals."

Of the track, he said he chose it because he believes it's so rare for someone as young as the 16-year-old New Zealander to write such a great song.

RELATED: Our August 2013 Interview with Mayer Hawthorne

Watch Hawthorne "funk it out" below:

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