Elton John Just Entered the Christmas No. 1 Race — With a CMAT Collab 53 Years in the Making
Some Christmas comebacks just hit different — and this one has been 53 years in the making.
Sir Elton John, 79, has officially entered the race for the Christmas Number One single — teaming up with Irish country-pop singer CMAT for a brand-new rock ‘n’ roll version of his holiday classic “Step Into Christmas,” some 53 years after the song’s initial release.
The sprightly new version becomes this year’s Amazon Music Original Christmas song, which stands it in good stead: last year’s Amazon Music single by Kylie Minogue hit the top spot in the UK.
Elton said: “I’ve loved CMAT since I first heard her and saw her videos years ago. She has this incredible personality, and a wicked sense of humour.” He added: “You can tell she has Rock ‘N’ Roll, Country and Americana at the heart of what she does – we’re kindred spirits in so many ways.” And on the collaboration itself: “That’s why I was so thrilled with the idea of us collaborating on ‘Step Into Christmas’. She’s done an amazing job.”
For CMAT, the honour was no less great: “When I listen to the music of Elton John, I am seven years old in the back of my mam’s car. It doesn’t matter how old or famous I become – whenever I listen to Elton John, I will always be seven years in the back of my mam’s car.” She added: “Christmas is my absolute favourite thing in the world, second maybe only to Elton John.”
The pair first connected in 2024, when CMAT appeared on Elton’s Apple Music radio show Rocket Hour — he praised her then as a “vibrant, wonderful woman [who was] kicking ass.”
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons — Elton John at Glastonbury 2023, photo by Raph_PH (CC BY 2.0).
