“... squall all over the scale in search of a socially distanced note that is not there.”
That has to be the best description of “... ethnically remodeled renditions ...” I have ever heard.
In fact your entire description is worthy of Internet Winner of the Day award.
There isn’t but one non-traditional version that is worth listening to and it is so good, it brings chills...
The singer is a Navy veteran (Hospital Corpsman in Afghanistan)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8C7i9kdEf8