We’re getting to the tail end of our Essential Advent Calendar and opening the 18th door we find Katie Melua, and her gorgeous version of ‘O Holy Night’.
Katie Melua releases the video to ‘O Holy Night’, the closing song from her new album ‘In Winter’. Delicate, restrained and utterly enchanting, on this distinctive recording Katie’s crystal voice and plucked acoustic guitar are joined by the haunting yet heart-warming harmonies of the Gori Women’s Choir.
‘O Holy Night’ has particular significance for Katie. Having moved from Georgia to Belfast aged 9, she clearly recalls holding the sheet music at her first school carol concert and being struck by the potency of the voices as they lifted and soared around the church – “that was one of the moments where my love for, and amazement at, the power of songs started.”
Katie and the Gori Women’s Choir performed an exclusive live session for BBC Radio 2 on Jo Whiley’s show on Wednesday December 7th 2016 – http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0848fc8#t=1h07m19s
Warmly arranged and beautifully executed, ‘In Winter’ is a unique collection of songs centred round the theme of winter. Ranging from original works inspired by Katie’s childhood in Georgia, to new interpretations of traditional carols, choral works and folk songs, and performed by Katie and the choir in English, Russian, Romanian, Ukrainian and Georgian, the album features the arrangements of world-renowned choral arranger Bob Chilcott and is co-produced by Katie herself. In addition to ‘O Holy Night’ Katie weaves in a pristine cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘River’, a spellbinding ‘All Night Vigil – Nunc Dimittis’ (Rachmaninov), and the stunningly beautiful ‘The Little Swallow’ to deliver a remarkable record which has been widely acclaimed.
Katie, her band, and the 24-piece Gori Women’s Choir have just completed a European tour in which they performed ‘In Winter’ in its entirety as well as a selection of classic songs from Katie’s catalogue.
‘In Winter’, Katie’s seventh studio album, was released on October 14, and is now available to buy.
