Holiday music doesn’t have to suck! This week’s instalment of What’s Going On is stuffed with the festive season’s freshest Christmas releases, from indie gems to unexpected collaborations. While we love Wham and Mariah Carey, consider this your antidote to musical mall torture. As always, if you dig what you hear, follow and stream these artists.
Tegan and Sara – Tegan and Sara are decking the halls with not one but two new holiday tracks, “I Love Christmas” and “A December to Remember.” Produced by Kate Cooper, the new songs had been kicking around as unreleased material before Tegan gave them a seasonal makeover inspired by her unapologetic Christmas obsession. Accompanied by music videos, these new additions are guaranteed to bring some queer Canadian cheer to your holiday playlist.
Listen to Tegan and Sara’s “I Love Christmas” and “A December to Remember” below.
Olivia Rodrigo – Pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo is officially getting into the holiday spirit with “take me home (4 christmas),” her first-ever festive single. Co-written with Dan Nigro and Amy Allen, the original tune gets a suitably awkward holiday makeover in its accompanying video, featuring Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon and SNL’s Ben Marshall. The track might sound reminiscent of The Waitresses’ 80s classic “Christmas Wrapping,” but fear not, Olivia’s camp got the all-clear from Chris Butler.
Listen to Olivia Rodrigo’s “take me home (4 christmas)” below.
Sam Fender – Sam Fender is giving the UK its unofficial Christmas anthem with a moving rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Recorded with his former school choir and Easington Colliery Band, the deeply evocative cover brings plenty of festive warmth to the John Lewis Christmas campaign. The cover even got Mick Jagger’s seal of approval. Not a bad holiday gift!
Listen to Sam Fender’s cover of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” below.
Elton John and CMAT – Christmas just got a whole lot more interesting. Buzzworthy Irish firebrand CMAT joins forces with Elton John for a fresh take on his festive classic “Step Into Christmas,” bringing her unmistakable vocals and theatrical flair to the beloved holiday classic. The Amazon Music exclusive keeps the original’s rock ’n’ roll spirit alive while adding a wonderfully modern CMAT twist.
Listen to Elton John and CMAT’s new take on “Step Into Christmas” below.
Kalsey Kulyk – Canadian country star Kalsey Kulyk is saddling up for the holidays with “Christmas Cowboy,” a fun original that promises plenty of festive feels. Inspired by a melody and title she’d been holding onto, the feel-good track arrives just ahead of another major milestone: her November 21 debut at the legendary Grand Ole Opry, courtesy of a surprise invitation from Lainey Wilson. For any artist cutting their teeth in country music, that’s a huge career milestone!
Listen to Kalsey Kulyk’s “Christmas Cowboy” below.
