On Day 20 of The Essential Advent Calendar, pop dynamo Carly Rae Jepsen brings some much-needed Yuletide cheer a little early with her cheeky new song “It’s Not Christmas Till Somebody Cries,” out on 604/Schoolboy/Interscope Records. The snappy, synthy jingle—which grapples with vegan boyfriends, political uncles, and grandpas on edibles—sees the Grammy-nominated star doing what she does best: finding the joy in every situation, even when tears are falling. “It’s Not Christmas Till Somebody Cries” is available now at all digital retailers.
Crafted with acclaimed songwriters and producers Benjamin Romans, CJ Baran, and James Flannigan, the disco-pop merriment of “It’s Not Christmas Till Somebody Cries” was a chance for Jepsen to embrace the good, the bad, and the ugly of her favourite time of the year.
“I love the old fashioned movies and the family traditions and the excitement of gifting presents and decorating the tree and and and…my list is endless,” she says. “But each year the pressure to have the perfect Christmas always ends in tears. I call it Christmas versus expectation.”
“Christmas holiday is my favourite time of year. I love it,” says Jepsen. “But so often emotions run high and expectation versus reality is something I’d like to shed some light on and hopefully some laughs too in the process. So if you are lucky enough to get to be with the ones that matter most to you this year- embrace it! And if things go south just remember, “the secret is to sing a little song to survive… that it’s not Christmas till somebody cries!”.
This is the Canadian artist’s second gift to fans this year. In May, she released ‘Dedicated Side B’, a sleek set of dance-pop pleasures filled with all the unbridled optimism Jepsen first displayed on her 2012 debut album ‘Kiss’. The album is a companion piece to 2019’s ‘Dedicated’, which features the buoyant singles “Party for One,” “Now That I Found You,” and the Jack Antonoff-produced “Want You in My Room”—all of which were named among the top songs of the year by outlets including Rolling Stone, Billboard, Stereogum, and Pitchfork.
Carly Rae Jepsen’s pristine, prismatic pop has long been the blissful soundtrack for first kisses and swirling romances, but the multi-platinum Grammy, Juno and Polaris Prize nominated Canadian star’s knack for distilling a sea of emotions into brilliant songcraft has wooed critics as deeply as fans. The singer, songwriter, and actress first burst onto the international scene in 2012 with the sly and sublime “Call Me Maybe.” That blockbuster hit from her breakthrough album, ‘Kiss’, topped charts in over 47 countries, sold over 20 million singles, and was certified Diamond in the U.S. It also earned her two Grammy nominations for Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year. Since then, she’s amassed even more acclaim across the music spectrum. On her 2015 synth-pop stunner ‘E*MO*TION’, Jepsen collaborated with Sia, Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes, and Rostam Batmanglij (Vampire Weekend), expanding her sonic palette with shimmery synths and euphoric dance beats that channel the sugary rush of new flirtations. Noisey declared it the pop album of the year, while the beaming single “I Really Like You” went platinum. Her 2019 follow-up, ‘Dedicated’, covered even more musical and emotional ground, as our most hopeful romantic continued to chase her bliss through a breakup. The Atlantic called the album “brilliant” with its “godlike bops.” Jepsen returned again in May 2020 with a gift for her fans: Dedicated Side B, a buoyant set of dance-floor candy that affirmed her status as pop’s undefeatable ambassador of love.
