John Galea’s new EP, ‘Christmas Round The Piano’, is set for release on December 7 and comprising 6 tracks, it’s undoubtedly a festive bop.
‘A Simple Christmas’ is the first release from the EP, and set to come out on November 30. The track is a great lead single for the record, with its 50s/60s vibe, yet definitely modern-day sentiments, with lyrics such as “watching late-night movies, flicking through all the channels”, and in a nod to himself and the EP title, “Singing out those carols round my old piano”. It’s upbeat and fun – and John’s accompanied by a team of female backing vocalists who offset his vocals perfectly. The track was written by Galea, and produced by Biggs, known for his work with Naughty Boy, as well as Oscar Lo Brutto (Chip, Wretch32).
The EP is a mix of modern and traditional, including Christmas songs, ‘O Holy Night’, ‘Joy To The World’, and ‘O Lejl ta’ Skiet’ – a Maltese rendering of the classic, ‘Silent Night’. It’s a stunning and unique take on an old favourite.
John is joined by Hannah Long, the Guildhall trained opera singer, on the beautifully inspiring song, ‘Hero Within You’. The song allows John to show off his singing chops, and prove that he’s not just an incredible pianist, he’s a great singer as well.
The title track is a disco/funk infused song, with John singing alongside a full band, including trumpets, guitars, drums, and other percussion. Vocally he’s emphatic and in strong voice, telling the tale of lost love. It’s an excellent choice for opening track, and totally sets the scene for the rest of the EP, not to mention a fine example of Galea’s songwriting talents.
John Galea first burst onto the music scene in 2012 wih his EP, ‘The Scrapbook’, which earned him widespread critical acclaim for his songwriting. He’s since worked with the likes of producers Beluga Heights, Darkchild, and Frankmusik. The independent artist charted on the top 20 in the UK with his song, ‘When You Truly Love Someone’, and has supported McFly, Lemar, and Boyzlife. He’s also played the main stages at The Sundown Festival, and London Pride, while writing for other artists, including Lao Ra (signed to Sony Music), German teen singing sensation Joelina, and Thea Garrett, who represented Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010.
‘A Simple Christmas’, and ‘Christmas Round The Piano’ are available to pre-order on iTunes, and Amazon, and will be available to stream on all digital sites. You can find out more about John Galea online on his official website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
