Christmas just arrived early, taking the form of the Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande collaboration that both Lambs and Arianators have had on their wishlist for years. Joined by fellow belter Jennifer Hudson, Carey and Grande teamed up for the merriest (and loudest) festive tune you’ve ever heard.
Carey teased the collab back in October, hinting that something big was in the works for the upcoming Christmas season, and fans correctly guessed that Grande and Hudson were involved. The trio linked up for a 2020 rendition of Carey’s other popular Christmas single “Oh Santa!” — an “All I Want for Christmas Is You” remix might have been too powerful — and you already know that they delivered.
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The visuals for the remix were delightfully cheery; the three superstars performed in what looks to be Santa’s workshop. Carey led the charge, giving her talented guest features time to shine on the mic, but she also made sure to remind y’all that her illustrious whistle note had not gone anywhere; she and Grande even stunted on us with a two-part harmonised (harmonised!) whistle note that has been stuck in my brain since last night. I don’t think I can overstate how huge of a deal the collaboration is, especially considering the fact that just four years ago, the “Touch My Body Singer” totally shaded Grande by claiming not to know her. Clearly, Carey knows her now — and even likes her!
Beyond being a super fun girl group moment, the 2020 “Oh Santa!” collaboration was a particularly special one for Carey because it allowed her to stretch herself, not just as a singer but also as a producer.
“It was like, how do I see this as a producer?” she explained in conversation with Billboard. “How do I see these vocals having different textures, what are they? Because originally, I was blending with myself, which that's kind of one of my favourite things, but it was cool to be able to work with the different vocal textures and play around with it and reimagine it.”
It's the first surprise for fans of the reigning Queen of Christmas, but the "Oh Santa!" remix is just the beginning this season. Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special hit Apple TV+ today, and it features a whole host of celebrity celebrations (including Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri) of the most wonderful time of the year.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be trying (likely to no avail) to recreate that whistle note.