1. A Very Laufey Holiday : Laufey
The first EP I’ve begun shuffling this holiday season is A Very Laufey Holiday by Icelandic singer Laufey,
who just closed the North American Leg of her A Matter of Time tour in Boston. Laufey is bringing jazz
back to life by fusing it with pop and classical, creating an original sound in modern music years. She has
an incredible, melancholic voice, perfect for Christmas music. A Very Laufey Holiday is a collection of
classic Christmas covers.
Track 1 on this Holiday EP is a cover of Eartha Kitt’s, Santa Baby, originally released in 1953. This may
be one of the most covered Christmas classics of all time. And though I’ve heard a plethora of versions of
this song, Laufey’s may be my favorite cover of all. There are a variety of instruments you can hear on
this tune, and combining that with her voice makes this worth listening to.
Another Christmas classic that everybody knows, Winter Wonderland, is the next song up on this Holiday
EP. The original song was written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith. Similar to her cover of
Santa Baby, her voice and the diversity of instruments make this an extremely enjoyable piece.
The next two tracks are both covers of the great Frank Sinatra: “Christmas Dreaming” and “The Christmas
Waltz.”
Finally, she closes with “Love to Keep Me Warm,” featuring English singer songwriter, Dodie. This song is a
take on Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman’s 1941 Winter Weather, with an original bridge written
specifically for this version of the winter classic.
When performing in Boston, she ended her show by playing a cover of her singing “Santa Claus Is Comin’
to Town,” while she danced around the stage, hinting at new Christmas music to come.
2. Fruitcake : Sabrina Carpenter
This pop star, known for her witty humor and great vocals, delivered just this with her 2023 Christmas
EP, fruitcake. Sabrina opens the EP with a holiday remix of her hit song, “Nonsense,” with the opening line
literally being “It’s the holiday remix.” This is the first of many humorous lines throughout the body of
work. The rest of the song consists of Christmas references and dirty jokes, creating a fun, catchy, and
original song.
Next up is the song, “buy me presents.” Sabrina’s partner clearly isn’t prioritizing or satisfying her, but no
need to fret; she knows somebody who will. A mystery older man with a dad bod, from a cold city, and he
even knows when she is and isn’t sleeping. The only problem is that she hasn’t seen him in a while, but
she assumes he’s busy with his workup. If you hadn’t guessed by now, this mystery man she sings about
is Santa Claus himself. The song “Buy me presents” is another yuletide carol filled with comical lines and a
captivating rhythm. In true Christmas fashion, the song delivers a captivating saxophone solo before
ending with the final chorus.
Carpenter follows with the song, “Santa Doesn’t Know You Like I Do.” Another song that combines the
genres of pop, R&B, and Christmas to create an addictive melody. In the song, she is pleading to her lover
to choose her, and stating that even Santa, who knows all, doesn’t know them better than Sabrina herself.
The fourth track of this EP is a sad ballad dedicated to the beloved Grinch Character, Cindy Lou Who,
which just happens to be the track title as well. Her smooth vocals paired with the consistent piano create
a Christmas carol that will be heaven to your ears. In “cindy lou who,” the character represents the new girl of a boy whom Sabrina loves. It is apparent that Sabrina is trying to cope with the situation by reasoning, where she may have found Cindy Lou Who or reached out to friends for support.
You may experience emotional whiplash jumping from Cindy Lou. Next up is “Who is new years yet?,” the fifth track
on fruitcake. This is a pop-disco Christmas song, but unlike many holiday tunes, it isn’t praising the
season; it’s begging for it to end. The song lightheartedly makes fun of the season, relatably pointing out
all of its annoying quirks. Carpenter sings about overplayed songs, relatives pissing her off, and dated
dumb traditions. A very catchy second verse will keep you absolutely hooked.
She closes with “white xmas,” a “Glee-styled” cover of the Christmas classic “White Christmas,” sung by
Bing Crosby in 1942.
3. Christmas and Chill : Ariana Grande
This innovative take on a Christmas album is well worth listening to. On the Christmas EP Christmas and
Chill, Ariana Grande blends elements from traditional Christmas music with those from the genres of trap
and R&B. This EP immerses listeners into the holiday season with the opening line being, “Welcome to
this Christmas” in the first track, “Intro.” The opening track is simple, but as the title states, it’s a great intro
to the EP. The background beats let us know that this won’t be your Christmas music.
Following “Intro” is “Wit It This Christmas.” This one is Grande’s favorite from the EP. The song is filled
with Christmas references, those being mistletoe, fireplaces, milk and cookies, drummer boy, presents,
candy canes, and gingerbread. She does an excellent job of intertwining these references into the story
that the song produces.
Track three is titled “December.” Though the song isn’t exactly explicit, the synths and rhythmic beats in
the background add that kind of vibe to the song. Pair that with the storyline and lyrics, and you get a
clean but sexy Christmas track. Grande is singing to a lover, offering herself as a Christmas present.
Grande’s tone on this track doesn’t show off her amazing range, but she still delivers with the vocals.
The fourth track of Christmas and Chill, “Not Just On Christmas,” is a sweet love letter to a lover, promising
that she will love and celebrate him all 365 days of the year, and not just on Christmas. Regardless of rain or
shine, naughty or nice, she will stick with him. This song is soothing and relaxing to listen to. It’s short
and goes by fast, but it’s a nice track to sit around the middle of the EP, transitioning us into another R&B
track.
That next R&B track is “True Love,” the fifth track of the EP. Through another love song, Grande shows us
again that she can create a song that delivers both Christmas and R&B vibes. Following the format of the
Christmas classic “Twelve Days of Christmas,” she makes it all the way to day six, singing about what her
true love gives her. Grande does a great job at using the structure of a Christmas song everybody knows
and adding her own twist. This one is super catchy and sweet, similar to how the rest of the EP has been.
The final song on Christmas and Chill is “Winter Things.” In this one, Grande expressed how it’s not even
cold where she lives. She sings that she doesn’t need her jacket, hat, or gloves. But since the holiday
season is known for love, since her baby is in town, she still wants to do winter things. This is a great
example of how holiday festivities bring out love and encourage activities to match such feelings. She’ll
pretend they’re in the North Pole and she wants to visit the ice skating rink. The song delivers a beautiful
message that you can have a great time, no matter the circumstances, especially if you’re surrounded by
people you love.
Grande has one other official Christmas EP, Christmas Kisses, and has released a Christmas single, “Santa
Tell Me,” along with “Santa Tell Me-Naughty Version.” If you enjoy Christmas and Chill, you should
definitely check out those as well.
If you’re in need of a fun holiday activity while listening to these EPs, read about a few Christmas recipes from around the world to try out here!