Christmas is the time for many things – food, family, festivities – but it’s also a time to just try and keep your shit together. The holidays always hang in the balance, teetering on the brink of chaos (looking at you, family).
That’s why “Keep My Shit Together”, the new single by Asha Jefferies, is timed so well.
The melancholic pop anthem dropped last Friday, just a few weeks before we’ll all be trying to survive and thrive through Christmas.
The track, which was produced by Jefferies’ friend and collaborator Sam Cromack of Ball Park Music, is reminiscent of Angel Olsen, Hand Habits, and Julien Baker in its mellow sound.
“It was written one hot and sweaty day around my piano in December. While feeling stuck and existential, this song is an ode to bringing lightness to hot and heavy feelings around Christmas time. We recorded this in mid-December, aircon cranking and all in organised matching white tank tops,” the rising star says.
So, crank this one in the car on the drive to the in-laws this Christmas; let Jefferies’ repeated pleas to “keep my shit together” become your new holiday mantra.
“Keep My Shit Together” follows Jefferies’ previous 2023 singles “Baby Don’t Fight It” and “Cruise Control”. All three tracks are fine examples of why the musician has been a finalist in both the Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition and the International Songwriting Competition (ISC).
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To celebrate the release of her new single, Tone Deaf got Jefferies to break down the things in life that allow her to adhere to her track title and keep her shit together, which you can read below.
Asha Jefferies’ “Keep My Shit Together” is out now via Nettwerk.
For me, the holiday season can feel like limbo, bridging between two worlds and driving me into a mild but persistent insanity.
What even happened this year? What will happen next year? I’ll do my best here to guide you through this weird, enchanting time of the year. Here are some top tips on how to keep your shit together this Christmas.
Frogtok
So this one is semi-toxic, but sometimes you have to lean into unhealthy pleasures to transcend them. If you haven’t looked at frogs on the ‘dark web’ (TikTok), then your day hasn’t peaked. My recent favourite is this dude:
https://www.tiktok.com/@digital_zoo/video/7202579890355522862?_r=1&_t=8htrS7fnOCY
Big freaking morning walks
December has taught me that through slow times and busy times, the act of simply walking can ease overthinking. It’s good stuff all year round. At first, questions may arise and challenge you: where am I walking to? Why? Why not just eat leftovers and watch Moulin Rouge (I haven’t seen it)? Just walk. Visit a park or a river. Find secret (public owned) spots in your area and hold yourself. Or maybe watch Moulin Rouge. This is me in my secret river spot in Meanjin:
Cook yourself vegetables
But make it fancy. This year I discovered Justine Snacks and she turned my life around. At this point in my life, baked vegetables are an artform. I highly suggest her Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl that I have been making on high-rotation. Option here to invite company and share vegetables with the people you love.
Cry in the aircon/in front of a fan
Dedicated to the ones out there in the Southern Hemisphere. It’s a big time. It’s also a hot time. Give yourself moments to stay cool and unbottle your tension with emotional time outs. Nothing is too big or too small. Essential oils and nice lights help.
Listen
To the birds. The breeze. The neighbours next door. To your favourite songs. To Brian Eno’s Music for Airports. But especially, listen to my new song “Keep My Shit Together”. Writing this song felt relieving and hopeful – that a dry feeling like Christmas anxiety could be used to exude lightness and humour.
