Pop star Olivia Rodrigo released her first-ever Christmas song on Thursday night, accompanied by a festive music video starring Sex and the City actor Cynthia Nixon, after dropping her chart-topping third album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So In Love, as bbc.com reported.
Olivia Rodrigo Releases First Christmas Track
- The new song, titled Take Me Home (4 Christmas), features Rodrigo asking her boyfriend to show serious commitment by taking her to his parents’ house for the holidays.
- Listeners quickly noticed a sonic resemblance to The Waitresses’ 1981 new wave classic Christmas Wrapping, which bbc.com confirmed was an intentional choice by the artist.
- The track faces heavy competition for the festive charts, entering the market alongside releases from Sam Fender, CMAT, Alanis Morissette, and Sufjan Stevens.
The Email That Surprised Chris Butler
Written last summer alongside longtime collaborator Dan Nigro and songwriter Amy Allen, the track directly mirrors the spirited post-punk arrangements of The Waitresses. Chris Butler, who wrote the 1981 hit Christmas Wrapping, revealed on Facebook that he initially suspected a hoax when he received an inquiry about two months prior from someone claiming to be the pop star.
After looking into her career, Butler changed his tune. He praised her practice of hiring an all-female band and securing control of her master recordings. In a public post captured by bbc.com, Butler told followers, “Her song was/is great. It’s going to be a smash, maybe even that elusive Christmas number one contest they have every year in the UK.”
Despite the stylistic nod, Butler does not receive a writing credit on Take Me Home (4 Christmas) because the track contains no direct samples or musical interpolations from his work.
Ben Marshall Stars in Retro Holiday Video
The accompanying retro-styled home video features Saturday Night Live star Ben Marshall playing the role of her reluctant boyfriend, while Cynthia Nixon steps in as the prospective mother-in-law. The release arrives during a crowded season for holiday singles.
Other major contenders vying for seasonal attention include Sam Fender covering the Rolling Stones for John Lewis, CMAT teaming up with Elton John, and Nile Rodgers collaborating with Rebecca Ferguson. Meanwhile, Wham’s Last Christmas and Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You already secured spots in the UK Spotify top 10 on November 1, running two weeks ahead of last year’s schedule.
| Artist | Holiday Track / Project | Release Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Olivia Rodrigo | Take Me Home (4 Christmas) | Includes music video starring Cynthia Nixon |
| Sam Fender | You Can’t Always Get What You Want | John Lewis Christmas campaign cover |
| CMAT & Elton John | Step Into Christmas | Countrified version of the festive classic |
| Nile Rodgers & Rebecca Ferguson | The Christmas Song | Cover track featuring an AI-generated video |
