Amy Shark and Budjerah have released two Christmas singles, and yes, we know it’s only November.
The Australian pair have joined the likes of Lizzo and Stormzy in making festive songs for Amazon Music.
For her turn, Shark has taken on ‘Christmas Lights’ by Coldplay, one of the only Christmas songs to earn plaudits in the modern era. The singer-songwriter’s rendition replaces with piano balladry with acoustic touches.
“In typical Amy Shark style I have picked a sad song for the holidays, with Coldplay’s ‘Christmas Lights’,” Shark explains. “This feels like the song to play at the end of the night when everyone is full and sleepy on the sofa.”
Budjerah, meanwhile, has put his own spin on ‘Who Would Imagine a King’, one of Whitney Houston’s finest songs.
Originally recorded for the 1996 drama The Preacher’s Wife, Budjerah has updated it for modern audiences with an enhanced sound featuring organs and a choir.
“Christmas is my favourite holiday and I’ve always wanted to record a Christmas song, so when Amazon Music asked me to do one of my favourite classics, I was super excited,” he says.
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“I grew up in church, so I heard a lot of the Christmas story, the birth of Jesus. I loved hearing the story so much and this song is just about that.”
Will Shark or Budjerah’s singles soon become new Christmas classics? You can listen to both covers below.
Both Shark and Budjerah are in with a chance of winning at the 2022 ARIA Awards, set to take place at on Thursday, November 24th. Shark is up for Best Australian Live Act – which her Australian Idol co-judge Kyle Sandilands had a lot to say about – while Budjerah is nominated for Best Solo Artist.
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Check out ‘Christmas Light’ (Coldplay cover) by Amy Shark:
Check out ‘Who Would Imagine a King’ (Whitney Houston cover) by Budjerah:
