: Known for his eccentric, meme-heavy branding, Tree leaned into the chaotic energy of the track, making it a staple of his live sets.
: Schulz’s version mirrored the specific speed, pitch, and "twisted phonk" aesthetic Southstar had popularized.
: Since Oliver Tree owned the original vocals from "Jerk," his team had the legal right to re-release them in any format—even if that format was heavily "inspired" by an independent artist's remix. The Verdict
: The high-pitched vocals and aggressive bassline are tailor-made for short-form video content.
Before the major label polish, there was . In early 2022, the German producer released "Miss You," a track that heavily sampled and flipped Oliver Tree’s 2020 song "Jerk." Southstar’s version transformed the moody alt-pop original into a high-octane phonk -inspired dance track. It blew up on TikTok, becoming a viral sensation almost overnight. The Major Label Pivot
A breakdown of the between a sample, a remix, and an interpolation.
Despite the backlash, the Robin Schulz and Oliver Tree version became a massive commercial success.
More info on following the controversy.