The joyous vacation season is amongst us and Spotify is able to observe alongside as you put together to mild the candles, embellish the tree, or concoct a scrumptious mulled cider. But as an alternative of hitting play on final 12 months’s favourite festive hits, we now have a brand new set of merry melodies which have been added to our ever-expanding Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection.
As is our personal seasonal custom, we labored with artists from across the globe to reimagine basic vacation tracks and file them in a recent new approach. Get to know a few of this 12 months’s artists—and their favourite vacation traditions—under.
Tom Grennan – “Driving Home For Christmas”
London-based singer-songwriter Tom Grennan shortly went from visitor vocalist to headlining artist as followers fell in love along with his soulful voice.
Why did you select the track you lined?
Chris Rea’s “Driving Home For Christmas” all the time will get me within the vacation temper and actually makes me consider household. I put it on after I’m heading again to my dad and mom’ home for Christmas and it will get me tremendous excited, feeling very festive.
What’s a vacation custom of yours?
A vacation custom would defo be having a snowball within the morning while opening presents. It’s not the nicest of drinks but it surely’s a convention me and my household have.
Kenia OS – “Blanca Navidad”
Kenia OS, a Spotify RADAR Mexico artist, breezes seamlessly between Spanish-language pop and hip-hop in her music.
Why did you select the track you lined?
“Blanca Navidad” is among the basic songs in my dwelling when Christmas begins. When I had to decide on a track that represents that magical second with my family members, it was the one one I may consider.
What’s a vacation custom of yours?
A vital vacation custom for me is adorning our dwelling for Christmas. In the primary couple days of December, my sister and I’ve the custom of going collectively to decide on the Christmas tree and embellish it.
Kalush Orchestra – “Shchedrivka”
Kalush Orchestra is a Ukrainian group and 2022 Eurovision winner that fuses conventional Ukrainian folks devices and melodies with trendy hip-hop beats.
Why did you select the track you lined?
In anticipation of the Christmas holidays, everybody desires a miracle. We are ready just for a very powerful factor—the victory of Ukraine. We hope that our cowl of “Shchedrivka” will deliver optimistic feelings to Ukrainians and present the world neighborhood the true spirit of conventional Ukrainian Christmas.
What is your vacation custom?
It has develop into a convention for our group to stroll with the nativity scene and sing carols on Epiphany Eve in early January. Last 12 months in Kyiv, we went across the residences of Kyiv residents and sang. And earlier than that, Ukrainian carols have been additionally sung within the metropolis transport of Kyiv.
Kaylee Bell – “Christmas Tree Farm”
New Zealand nation pop star Kaylee Bell was first launched to followers by means of the tv present “The Voice Australia” and is now bringing her expertise to listeners world wide.
Why did you select the track you lined?
I’m the largest Christmas fan and Taylor Swift fan, so what higher approach than to get to tie these two issues collectively than with “Christmas Tree Farm”? This track all the time makes me really feel comfortable and excited for Christmas and that’s the sort of pleasure I wish to unfold.
What’s a vacation custom of yours?
I put up the Christmas Tree and watch Love Actually whereas doing so each single 12 months with a glass of glowing grape juice and scorched almonds. It’s random—I do know!
Lasse Skriver – “It Must Have Been Love (Christmas For The Broken Hearted)”
Lasse Skriver hails from Denmark and was a carpenter earlier than he appeared on the nation’s model of “X-Factor” and have become an in a single day singing sensation.
Why did you select the track you lined?
I selected Roxette’s “It Must Have Been Love (Christmas For The Broken Hearted)” as a result of I believe the story behind it is rather fascinating and it’s additionally only a actually good track. I knew of the track earlier than I made the duvet however by no means had any concept that it initially was a Christmas track, so I wished to make a canopy with its authentic that means, the place the theme of Christmas shines by means of like supposed.
What’s a vacation custom of yours?
Every 12 months round Christmastime I’ll be at my grandparents’ place, the place we bake all types of muffins and pastries and simply take pleasure in one another’s firm. It is a convention I treasure very a lot!
IVE – “After LIKE (Holiday Mix)”
IVE is a six-member woman group taking up the Okay-Pop scene.
Why did you select the track you probably did?
We suppose “After LIKE” is certainly one of our most upbeat songs that goes effectively with the vacation vibes. With Spotify Holiday Singles, we wished to take it up a notch and make it much more Christmassy. Also, the sampling of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” in “After LIKE” makes it a extra easy-listening and fulfilling track for all. That is why we thought this track can be good for the vacation season.
What’s a vacation custom of yours?
Korea doesn’t have any particular year-end vacation traditions, however on Lunar New Year and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), we might put on Hanbok, Korea’s conventional clothes. While sporting Hanbok, Koreans carry out a New Year’s bow to their elders, and generally the elders would give allowances to the younger ones.
For the vacation season, nonetheless, we simply spend time with our family members and eat scrumptious meals with the vacation spirit! Japan is kind of just like Korea general, however Japan has a novel custom of consuming soba (“toshikoshi soba”) on December 31. This soba is nothing particular, however there are numerous the explanation why the Japanese eat it on the final day of the 12 months. Soba noodles are lengthy, so consuming toshikoshi soba symbolizes our want for longevity. At the identical time, soba noodles could be minimize simply, so it additionally represents our want to break off from the dangerous influences or incidents from the previous 12 months.
DannyLux – “Triste Navidad”
Daniel Balderrama Espinoza, higher often known as DannyLux, is a California native who brings a novel aptitude to the corridos style.
Why did you select the track you lined?
I selected to put in writing this Christmas track and make it unhappy as a result of I would like the individuals to really feel it—I wished to make a narrative in regards to the feeling. There’s some folks that spend the vacation season alone. That’s why I titled it “Triste Navidad,” as a result of Christmas could be comfortable for some, however there’s additionally occasions that Christmas is gloomy, as a result of it brings recollections, unhappy recollections.
What’s a vacation custom of yours?
One custom that my household all the time does throughout Christmas is collect at my grandmother’s home. All my cousins, uncles, aunts. And we collect there and place all of the items underneath the Christmas tree, and it will get full! And as soon as midnight strikes everybody opens their items.
Kurt Vile – “Must Be Santa”
Singer-songwriter Kurt Vile is all in regards to the lyrics and the sound in his music—which has a component of what the Philadelphian describes as “fried pop.”
Why did you select the track you lined?
When I used to be requested to be on this Christmas compilation, they stated, “You can do any Christmas song you want, as long as it’s not repeated by somebody else on this series.” I believed it was good of them to ask me, however I didn’t know if I may pull off a Christmas track! Then my thoughts jumped to when John Agnello confirmed me the Bob Dylan model of “Must Be Santa” whereas we have been making the Smoke Ring For My Halo file. It’s a extremely hilarious video (he confirmed me that first), and it reveals a rambunctious Christmas celebration. Bob Dylan has a wig on, and somebody goes flying by means of a window. All this time, I believed it was Bob Dylan’s track. It’s actually catchy, and he makes it his personal as he often does. I figured if I can do Dylan’s “Must Be Santa,” if that’s not taken, it’s an indication. I gotta be the following chapter on this model of a Bob Dylan track.
Then I spotted it was really a basic Christmas track, and was written nonetheless way back, however I nonetheless wished to do it justice the way in which Bob did. I wished to be the man who tried to tug it off.
This was additionally a terrific excuse to make use of my dwelling studio OKV Central once more, with my bandmate Adam Langellotti on bass, and Ted Young. Ted moved to Philly (he engineers with me lots), however he was really John Agnello’s assistant engineer again after I first heard Bob Dylan’s “Must Be Santa.” It seems like an ideal circle, actually. I believed I’d do an acoustic model and have my daughters sing backup, however then it become extra of a bizarre synth model with their vocals, which is absolutely the hook. I figured Bob wouldn’t hear it, however I nonetheless wished to do it justice, and as soon as I bought my daughters singing with me I hoped he would no less than prefer it. Now I do know . . . he loves it [laughs]. Merry Christmas, Bob Dylan!
What is a vacation custom of yours?
My spouse, Suzanne, jogged my memory of my funniest vacation Christmas custom: Every 12 months now we go to a Christmas Eve service at an Episcopal church that could be very stunning in Philadelphia. And I sit there within the pew with the household whereas the songs are there and it truly is a pleasant service, it’s fairly. But then a number of songs in, I begin tapping my foot and it jogs my memory of after I was younger and I used to be all the time having to sit down in church and I used to be simply eager to get out of there. So what I do is, I am going to the nook Dunkin Donuts in all my vacation most interesting and I’ve some espresso and donuts. And I simply sit within the automobile and anticipate the service to be over. And it kind of makes me really feel good and free, but it surely’s additionally like, I’ve my youngsters in there. So it’s full circle once more, the place it takes me again to rising up and being enthusiastic about Christmas, but additionally being free sufficient that I’m an grownup now, and I don’t have to sit down by means of a complete service, and I can nonetheless take pleasure in some superb Dunkin Donuts ’til I drive my household dwelling. It’s develop into a operating gag kind of Christmas custom. And so it’s actually one thing I do yearly now. I’ll positively do it once more this 12 months.
Unwrap all the brand new tracks in our Spotify Singles: Holiday Collection playlist.