Christmas has never inspired the music industry in Quebec so much. Snubbed not so long ago, new original songs are multiplying, bringing together artists of all stripes. Should this be seen as a paying bet? Not always, swear these holiday lovers, who above all hope to spread a little magic in turn alongside the unbeatable All I Want For Christmas Is You and Jingle Bell Rock.
“I intend to do one Christmas song a year until my death. Once you taste it, you can’t live without it”, entrusts, full of enthusiasm, Elliot Maginot. The singer-songwriter launched his new piece Christmas On My Mind last month. If we find there its usual folk signature, the little bells, the choirs and the lyrics of the song do not deceive: it is indeed Christmas we are talking about, even Santa Claus himself.
Last year, it was Mrs. Claus who was entitled to her own melody, with The Ballad of Mrs. claus. This tradition seems to take root in the Montreal artist, who has created four songs inspired by the holiday season in five years.
It all started in 2018 with a simple joke, with the director of his second album. In the middle of summer, absorbed in a vortex of YouTube videos of Christmas songs during a recording break, the two men suddenly had the same idea: why not make an original Christmas song?
“Each time, there is this pleasure of being in the studio annually, at a specific time, rather than waiting for the recording of an album. In this context, there is less pressure, more fun. I take it seriously, but I allow myself to put bacon and whipped cream everywhere, because there is no bad idea. »
He says he is proud to be able to “be a small brick on the wall of Quebec’s cultural Christmas”, hoping that his songs will come back to people’s homes year after year.
Christmas passion
But to indulge in writing about Christmas, it takes a minimum of passion for this holiday, believes Elliot Maginot. He confesses without shame constantly listening to the soundtrack of the film Home Alone (Mom I missed the plane !) for a few weeks, when it’s not the festive album of Dolly Parton or Frank Sinatra that brightens up his living room with a thousand decorations.
“I love Christmas, but I love Christmas music even more. It evokes more beautiful things than what will really happen at Christmas. It is impossible to match the magic that emerges in our events. It’s like an unattainable promise that makes many dream. It inspires me a lot. »
This passion for Christmas music, Nicola Ciccone shares it. “It can sometimes be simple music, but it always brings exceptional comfort”, maintains the one who has just released a very first album in this musical register, Christmas spiriton which alternate original creations and covers of great classics.
“We were robbed of two Christmases because of the pandemic, we have more than ever this thirst to meet again this year, and, for me, Christmas music accompanies these reunions. It was time for me to write about Christmas,” he explains.
The idea had already started to germinate in his head a few years ago, he admits. First there was his song Merry Christmas, which he launched without much expectation in 2014 and which today has more than 500,000 plays online. Then there were the covers of holiday classics in his pre-pandemic shows. “It immerses you in such a different, warm, magical atmosphere, it envelops you. »
renewal
However, he wanted to take his time to create a few original songs and not confine himself only to covers of classics that we already hear on repeat. “Our Christmas songs are dated. We have to renew the register a little, make more pop, more modern songs, ”he argues.
Maryse Letarte can only go one better, she who, in a way, started the ball rolling in 2008 with her album footsteps in the snow. At that time, in Quebec, there were no new Christmas songs. We were even called cheesy when we tried to pull one out.
“My distributor didn’t want to listen to my first songs at the time. I’ve been around the industry and every time people would roll their eyes when I told them about my project, says Ms.me The pie. It was difficult, because I put all my heart into writing these songs, I drew on my childhood memories, I really believed in them. »
When a record company finally took her under its wing, she had to pay for publicity out of pocket to hope to get noticed by the media. “A first journalist listened to the album, liked it, and then it had a snowball effect. This album is now listened to in Germany, Spain and Asia. It’s a small miracle, he traveled more than me. »
Commercial success
Beyond the passion for Christmas, does the commercial appeal weigh in the balance? Does Christmas music guarantee success?
“In my case, it’s really a personal pleasure shared with my team, answers Elliot Maginot straight away. It’s not music that you tour a lot, I don’t play it in my concerts. Some people probably made more money than me with that. »
For his part, Nicola Ciccone believes that it is too early to really measure the impact. “In one month, I find it encouraging: it works on the platforms, I have good reviews, and the media are talking about it. »
Maryse Letarte can’t deny the success of her 2008 album. “It definitely propelled my career. But considering how difficult it was at the beginning, it was really unexpected to see my album going and coming back into people’s homes every Christmas. It’s a source of great pride,” she says.
This success, however, comes today with the fear of being locked in a musical register. As she is releasing a new album in 2023 which will not talk about Christmas at all, Maryse Letarte is worried about her reception by the Quebec public. “I have this little apprehension, it’s normal. At the same time, as an artist, it’s good to arrive where we are not expected at all. I have to find a way to evolve. »