NOMFUNDO MOH HEALS SOULS WITH HER COVER OF LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

Carols Covered 2022 is back again with a new line-up of exclusive to Apple Music holiday songs reimagined by some of contemporary music’s most impactful artists, plus a new Classical Carols Covered playlist, highlighting beautiful new versions of carols and festive songs performed by top classical artists. All available in immersive Spatial Audio.

Carols are at the heart of Christmas and other holidays—whether sung at festive services or simply bellowed out at home with friends and family. Carols may be a part of our well-established traditions, but they’re also constantly evolving, with new arrangements composed every year that bring freshness and vitality to old favorites.

This year’s batch includes new selections from Nomfundo Moh, Ellie Goulding, Muni Long, RAYE, Amelia Moore, Brett Eldredge, charlieonafriday, Elio, glaive, Jvck James, Katie Gregson-MacLeod, Shygirl, SiR, and Yahritza Y Su Esencia.

Previous Carols Covered collections have featured contributions from names like Ari Lennox, Arlo Parks, beabadoobee, Eslabon Armado, Fletcher, GIVĒON, James Blake, Mickey Guyton, Ozuna, Shenseea, Tate McRae and Victoria Monét.

New to Apple Music this year, Classical Carols Covered, featuring beautiful, brand-new versions of carols and festive songs performed by a handful of the best and brightest in the classical world. Violinist Daniel Hope, the cellists Peter Gregson and Sheku Kanneh-Mason, trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin Vary, and the wonderful choir of Clare College, Cambridge, are just a few of the artists bringing their incredible musicianship to some of our best-loved carols.

Carols Covered 2022 playlist link: CLICK HERE

Classical Carols Covered playlist link: CLICK HERE

Nomfundo Moh on choosing to cover “Little Drummer Boy”

“There’s a lot about the original version that speaks to who I am as an artist. I’m still a new artist, I don’t have much to offer, but with the little that I have the power of healing souls through my music that is what I have to offer to my people and that makes me happy just like the 'Little Drummer Boy'"

charlieonafriday on choosing to cover “Hallelujah”

“‘Hallelujah’ felt much different than most of the other Christmas songs we hear every year during the holiday season. The song pulls on people’s emotions and triggers sentimental feelings, and I feel like that’s what I’ve been doing with some of my new music. ‘Hallelujah’ is also a very celebratory anthem, and I feel like I tend to create songs that render feelings of celebration.”

Amelia Moore on why “This Christmas” is iconic

“‘This Christmas’ is just so iconic. It’s one of those OG classic Christmas bangers. So many other iconic artists and vocalists that I look up to have done their own versions of this song as well, so I wanted to challenge myself to make my own. I want to give a little shout-out to my producers Pink Slip and Dwelly for working on this song with me. I’m really, really, really proud of the way that it turned out.”

spill tab on the powerful melody behind “White Winter Hymnal"

“The main thing that really drew me to ‘White Winter Hymnal’ was the melody, because it’s so beautiful. The way that it builds and ascends and has a lot of repetitive circular nursery school-type rounds to it is really pretty. Also, just in general, the textural quality of the original recording that Fleet Foxes made is just so interesting.”

glaive on her personal connection to “Last Christmas"

“‘Last Christmas’ is one of my mom’s favorite Christmas songs. A memory I have is my mom—during Christmastime—she wanted me to learn how to sing it, and I was probably like eight, and I had never heard the song before in my life. So, I sat down, and I learned all the words, and then I messed it up in front of my whole family, and I got really red and embarrassed. It was kind of awkward, looking back.”

Yahritza Y Su Esencia on the strong emotional connection behind “Amarga Navidad"

“We chose to cover ‘Amarga Navidad’ ’cause a lot of people can relate to being heartbroken through the holidays. We just wanted to cover this song because it has a lot of feeling to it.”

ELIO on why she loves “My Favorite Things"

“I wanted to cover ‘My Favorite Things’ because I just grew up watching The Sound of Music every single year, probably multiple times a year.  I spent a lot of time with my grandparents growing up, and me and my grandma just loved musicals like The Sound of Music and Grease. The song and the movie have always been really close to my heart.”

Brett Eldredge on the intimacy of “Feels Like Christmas"

“‘Feels Like Christmas’ is such a soulful, feel-good, groovy song that has this kind of sexy feel to it. The big-band version is amazing and so special, but I thought it’d be cool to kind of have a more stripped-down version that's intimate and makes you want to just cuddle up or dance next to the fireplace or by the tree. I wrote this song back during the pandemic, when I couldn’t even leave my house, and it took a while to write it. But I’m so proud of this song, and I can’t wait to sing this song for many, many years to come.”

SiR on the first time he heard Nat ‘King’ Cole’s version of "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)"

“The first time I heard ‘The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You),’ it was the Nat ‘King’ Cole version, and I was just floored because it was so beautifully arranged, and it’s so simple.” Inglewood singer SiR tells Apple Music. “I learned it when I was really young, and I felt like it would be the perfect cover because I know it so well.”

Muni Long on channelling Eartha Kitt in her cover of “Santa Baby"

“The original version of ‘Santa Baby,’ or the version that I really enjoy, is the version by Eartha Kitt. It’s super sexy and feminine, which is what I tried to give in my version. And it definitely is reminiscent of who I am as an artist because all of my music is about love and relationships, and although this relationship is a little unconventional, it’s giving its own little version of PDA under the Christmas tree.”

Shygirl’s “When You Wish Upon s Star” cover and holiday music go-to’s

“Music plays a really big role for me at Christmas. It definitely gets me in the holiday mood as soon as I start hearing, like, George Michael or Mariah Carey.”

Katie Gregson-MacLeod on her twist of “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

“It goes without saying, but Love Actually—one of the best moments of the film is when she sings this song, and it’s the whole band and the whole choir, and then she points at him, and he thinks it’s his moment, and then she points at everyone else. I think I was drawn to this song because we hear it so much every year, and it makes it a lot more fun to kind of change it up. I found there was so much longing and melancholia in the lyrics that I wanted to bring out.”

Jvck James on the sentimental memories he has around “Joyful, Joyful"

“‘Joyful, Joyful’ is one of those songs that bring me back to that time watching a young legend, Lauryn Hill, follow her heart's desire despite all of the odds against her. From a young age, I remember watching Sister Act, the movie, on them old little video players we used to have back in the day. Playing the movie became a ritual in my household, especially around Christmastime, and singing gospel music at Christmas was our way of celebrating the life of Jesus.”

Track List: Carols Covered 2022

charlieonnafriday - Hallelujah

Amelia Moore - This Christmas

Spill Tab - White Winter Hymnal

glaive - Last Christmas

Yahritza Y Su Esencia - Amarga Navidad

Elio - My Favorite Things

Brett Eldredge - Feels Like Christmas (Unwrapped)

SiR - The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) by Nat King Cole

Muni Long - Santa Baby

Shygirl - I’ve Told Every Little Star

Katie Gregson-MacLeod - All I want for Christmas is you

RAYE - O Holy Night

Jvck James - Joyful Joyful

Ellie Goulding - Fields of Gold

(Best of CC) Ozuna - Feliz Navidad

(Best of CC)  GIVĒON - O Christmas Tree

(Best of CC) Tate McRae - I'll Be Home for Christmas

(Best of CC) Fletcher - Silent Night

(Best of CC) Victoria Monét - We Wish You a Merry Christmas

(International) Alicia Moffet - Winter Wonderland

(International) Emilio - Wonderful Christmastime

(International) King Stingray - Run Rudolph Run

(International) Nomfundo Moh - Little Drummer Boy

(Classical) Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cello) - I Saw Three Ships

(Classical) Alexis French - Still, Still, Still

International Tracks:

(China) Joanna Wang - Sleigh Ride

(Canada) Alicia Moffet - Winter Wonderland

(France) Camelia Jordana - Thank God It’s Christmas

(Germany) Emilio - Wonderful Christmastime

(Australia) King Stingray - Run Rudolph Run

(Mexico) Julion Alvarez y su Norteño Banda - Rodolfo el Reno

(Africa) Nomfundo Moh - Little Drummer Boy

Classical Carols Covered 2022:

Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cello) - I Saw Three Ships

Lucienne Renaudin Vary (trumpet) - Stille Nacht

John Metcalfe (various) - Carol of the Bells

Ola Gjeilo (piano) - Away in a Manager

Coco Tomita (violin + orch) - White Christmas

Clare College Cambridge (choir) - In The Bleak Midwinter

Christian Pierre La Marca (cello) - O Christmas Tree

Peter Gregson (cello) - The First Noel

Daniel Hope (violin) - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Alexis Ffrench (piano) - Still Still Still

Attacca Quartet (quartet) - I’ll Be Home for Christmas