1- Pick a huge well known song, a good place to start is either a song that has just been released by a major artist, which is currently sat at number one, or an all time classic that everybody knows.
2- Try to pick a song from the opposite sex, ie. If you’re a female, pick a song by a male.
3- Try changing the speed of a song, ie if it’s a fast song, try turning it into a ballad or a similar slow style and vice versa.
4- Change the chords of the songs, a good way to create new colour and variety is to re-harmonise the song with a new chord structure.
5- Make it as different as possible from the original, so the cover is unique enough to stand out in it’s own right
6- Make it relatable to you, the best way to make it engaging and moving is when you can connect with the lyrics on a personal level, bare this in mind when choosing your song.