Entertainment
Pop star baffled to discover Christmas number one is ‘a real thing’ after joining the race-Danni Scott-Entertainment – Metro
She thought it was made up for Love Actually.
Calum Scott and Christina Perri have entered the Christmas number one chart battle (Picture: Eric Bottero)
‘I thought the Christmas number one was only a plot in Love Actually,’ confesses Christina Perri to the horror of her festive collaborator, Calum Scott.
The Jar of Hearts icon has released a song with the British singer and is now vying for a spot in the Christmas charts, currently dominated by Wham!
Calum and Metro were shocked by the American singer’s confession while chatting ahead of the release of their single Kid At Christmas.
‘I didn’t even realise that [it was a thing] we don’t have anything like that,’ revealed Christina, 38. ‘Nothing! Nobody is celebrating new Christmas music here.
‘They’re all like, “Screw all of you making music we only love classics like Nat King Cole”. No, I’m kidding.’
The competition for Christmas number one has been big this year with the likes of Tom Grennan, Laufey, Paloma Faith, and Perrie Edwards all releasing new festive tracks.
Christina had no clue that the chart competition was ‘real’ (Picture: Manny Carabel/Getty Images for Audacy’s Leading Ladies 2024)
Calum was surprised when his duet partner revealed this American oversight (Picture: Eric Bottero)
In the US, Christmas radio stations exist but the battle for number one is an undeniably British tradition.
‘I think it’s really cool,’ the Human singer says. ‘Well, first of all, it’s definitely not the reason why I did this song, because I didn’t even know about it!
‘I love, love, love Christmas. When [Calum and I] met, I was like, “Oh my god, I really hope we work together”. Then when this came up, everyone knows I love Christmas, so I was just excited to be a part of it.’
Calum, who narrowly missed out on number one with his cover of Dancing On My Own, appreciates the prestige that comes with topping charts — especially on Christmas.
The 36-year-old singer shared: ‘It’s a really important accolade but it’s always felt impossible in the past because your Mariah Careys and your Whams and those Christmas songs have been in the charts for however many years, and they almost feel like they’re untouchable.’
A conversation with Sam Ryder changed his opinion after the Eurovision star’s festive track flew up the charts, only to be pipped to number one by Wham last Christmas.
The You Are the Reason hitmaker believes anyone ‘can be in the running now’ but it always depends on ‘how good the song is’.
‘If the song is really great and people really react then I think anyone really can be in with a chance for the number one spot,’ he continued.
‘That’s the beautiful thing about the music industry these days, you could be just in your room trying to make really beautiful music, thinking, “I’ll never reach number one, or I’ll never get those kinds of dizzy heights”.
‘But you can be found in your music, [anything] can be viral, and you can have that moment now, which is an amazing thing.’
Calum thought the Christmas charts were ‘untouchable’ (Picture: Frank Hoensch/Redferns)
Next year marks a decade since Calum first appeared on our screens, stunning judges on Britain’s Got Talent with his version of Robyn’s hit song.
‘I’m grateful to the songs to allow me to keep being able to travel the world and sing these amazing songs,’ he said. ‘You Are The Reason has had that life of its own.
‘It’s gone off and it’s become part of people’s really important moments in their lives, be it walking down the aisle and getting married, or whatever it is.’
This is something that draws Christina and Calum together, outside of their natural chemistry with the pair joking they have ‘fallen in love’.
It’s almost 15 years since Christina released her debut single, which she teased makes her feel ‘kind of old.’
Christina is just a huge Christmas enthusiast (Picture: Terence Patrick/CBS via Getty Images)
‘I feel really grateful for it,’ she said. ‘So many people have these huge smashes that are quick and I’m really grateful for how long it took Jar Of Hearts to hit the radio and do really well. And then all the different lives that A Thousand Years has lived.’
The song famously appeared on the Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1soundtrack, written as an original track for the film in 2011.
She adds: ‘I almost can’t take credit fully for being a longevity artist, I do keep working and showing up and putting in the effort, but the music has been the gift to me.’
Calum agrees: ‘We are the same sort of artists in the sense that we want to write something that comes directly from the heart that’s going to touch other people because that is the most important thing.’
Calum Scott & Christina Perri’s new single Kid at Christmas is out now.
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