More often than not, news that a popstar is recording a Christmas album is met with a mixed reception from fans at best. To be frank, there are a whole lot of festive albums out there, and not a lot of them are great.
But while it seems everyone and their granny has their own Christmas music out these days, there are still a few of our faves yet to give it a whirl, and here are a handful of the artists we’d actually want to hear a festive album from in 2021...
1. Lizzo
We’ve found ourselves turned to Lizzo’s music a lot when we’ve needed a lift – which, as it turns out, has been quite often over the last 18 months.
Given that the singer has become synonymous with self-love, positivity and, perhaps above all, fun during her meteoric rise to fame, a high-energy Lizzo Christmas album would more than likely give us enough festive cheer to get us through the year ahead. At the very least.
2. Lil Nas X
In 2020, Lil Nas X decided to go against tradition when he released his own holiday song, resisting tired clichés and retreads of past hits and instead doing his own thing.
Holiday did alright, peaking just outside the top 20 in the UK, but given what an amazing 12 months he’s had, we think it’s time this festive tune be given more of the attention it deserves.
And as he’s the man of the hour, we’d love to hear more of his take on the most wonderful time of the year.
3. Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish probably wouldn’t be the most obvious pick to release a Christmas album, but that’s what would make the whole thing so intriguing, and the young singer’s unique perspective on the festive season would definitely set her apart from any Yuletide rivals.
True, it probably wouldn’t be one to lead a conga round the living room to once you’d polished off your Christmas lunch, but it could be a comforting soundtrack to anyone for whom this time of the year isn’t the sparkly, happy experience we’re usually sold.
4. Cardi B
With artists like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande having already shared their own raunchier takes on Christmas music, we’d love to hear what Cardi B – the woman who managed to get a song like WAP to number one on both sides of the Atlantic – would come up with given the opportunity to use her imagination with a few festive tunes.
It’d be worth it for the elaborate music videos and visuals alone, and if there’s one rapper who could definitely do justice to the theatrics of Christmas it’s Cardi, okurrrr.
5. Rihanna
Admittedly, we’d only want Rihanna to try her hand at a Christmas album if it were something she actually felt strongly about, because if the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that RiRi can make a success of anything when she truly commits.
Plus, if a Christmas album is the only way we’re going to get new music out of her, then we’ll take it...
6. Björk
Singer-songwriters like Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Annie Lennox have all given us their take on the traditional Christmas album in the past, but the person whose eyes we’d really like to see through at this time of year is Björk.
Considering her penchant for the unusual and avant-garde, we could easily imagine Björk’s Christmas offering being an out-and-out assault on the senses full of elves, dancing polar bears and the Icelandic star herself in full snowman garb. That is, if it wasn’t a melancholy and subdued introspective ode to the winter time.
Either way, we’d be here for it, and for an artist who likes to keep people guessing, we don’t think this is a project anyone would see coming.
7. Katy Perry
To be honest, this one isn’t even a suggestion, more of a prediction. Katy Perry’s cartoonish visuals and big personality lend themselves perfectly to Christmas tunes, and she’s actually already released two original festive songs in the past, the H&M tie-in Everyday Is A Holiday and the cheeky Cozy Little Christmas.
Frankly, we can’t believe it’s taken her this long. Could 2022 finally be the year…?