Irish pop artist CMAT recorded a new version of Elton John’s 1973 holiday single “Step into Christmas,” featuring the legendary singer himself, soundofbrit.fr reported on November 12.
“I fell in love with CMAT as soon as I heard her and saw her videos for the first time,” John said in a press release reported by soundofbrit.fr.
“She has this incredible personality and a crazy sense of humor. You can feel that rock ‘n’ roll, country, and americana inhabit her — we’re actually very similar, both of us. That’s why I was thrilled at the idea of collaborating with her for ‘Step into Christmas.’ She did a super job.”
“When I listen to Elton John’s music, I’m transported back to when I was 7 years old, sitting in the back of my mother’s car,” CMAT told soundofbrit.fr.
“No matter my age, or my level of celebrity, every time I listen to Elton John, I’m 7 years old again, and I’m sitting in the back of my mother’s car. Managing to reconcile that feeling with the reality of being able to work with him has been particularly disorienting, to say the least, but it has been the greatest joy of my life. Christmas is my favorite thing in the world, maybe just after Elton John.”
The collaborative single arrives as musicians roll out seasonal tracks ahead of December. The release follows Sam Fender’s recent cover of the Rolling Stones for a commercial campaign, placing the new duet among the early entries for the festive music season.