Toni Cornell, Chris Cornell’s Daughter, Delivers Tender Rendition of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ in Honor of Father

Chris Cornell’s daughter, Toni Cornell, took the stage on The Late Late Show Monday, April 19, to cover Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” — a tribute to her late father, who earned a posthumous Grammy nomination for his version of the song.

For her take on “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Toni was backed by a small string ensemble, an acoustic guitar player, a bassist, and drummer, all of whom helped her imbue the cover with a tender country-folk air. “I know that living with you baby was sometimes hard/But I’m willing to give it another try,” Cornell crooned over the keening strings and steady acoustic guitar, her voice striving toward one last powerhouse chorus.

Chris Cornell began covering “Nothing Compares 2 U” back when he embarked on an acoustic solo tour in Sept. 2015. He cut a studio version the following year, and the track was later included on the posthumous 2020 album, No One Sings Like You Anymore, Vol. 1 (the record featured other covers of songs by Harry Nilsson, Guns N’ Roses, John Lennon, and more). It was this version that earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance, while No One Sings Like You Anymore, Vol. 1 was up for Best Rock Album.

In 2018, one year after Cornell’s death, Toni shared another version of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” this one a duet between father and daughter.