I don’t know about you, but personally, it feels like every year there are endless covers put out for classic Christmas songs and they are nowhere near as good as the originals.
With every cover artists try to put their own spin on it or do something quirky and different but it often just takes away from the real reason people enjoy the song.
However, I feel like one artist is doing it right.
Laufey (pronounced Lay-Vey) is an Icelandic-Chinese singer best known for practically reviving the Jazz genre among the new generations. She mostly grew to fame around 2022, when he first album came out, for her jazz and pop inspired music.
Laufey is an incredible artist who is classically trained in playing the Cello and has such a distinct uniqueness in her music.
The nostalgia and warmth that comes naturally with Jazz music coupled with Christmas classics makes for a great combo.
With this, Laufey is able to keep a certain uniqueness that sets her covers apart without “doing to much” and still sticking to the best parts of the song.
It is necessary to note that she does only have a small handful of Christmas covers but nonetheless they stand-out from all the others.
The biggest stand-out in my opinion is her cover of Santa Baby which is a song originated by Eartha Kitt from 1953. I feel this song is different from most Christmas songs with its more mature and scandalous undertone in the lyrics. Laufey is able to take it and then create a beautiful jazz song that still manages to grasp the humor of the original song with her cover of it.
She also has a cover of the song The Christmas Waltz originated by Frank Sinatra in 1954 and once again she puts a fitting spin on it.
She almost tones down the song in comparison to Sinatra’s where I feel his is more upbeat and ballroom style her version captures that “winter wonderland” essence quite well with the orchestra and jazz elements and it is certainly much calmer.
I find it very reminiscent of the nutcracker with the bells included in the background and it also calls back to that feeling of nostalgia and she includes a children’s choir in a verse instead on Sinatra’s regular background choir.
Another well known classic she covers is Winter Wonderland originally sung by Richard Himber in 1934 but most known for a wide variety of covers. With that, this is a song that has many cover and they still tend to be a fan favorite and naturally Laufey is no exception.
Her cover captures the whimsical vibes of the song and keeps it upbeat, as it traditionally is. I will be honest she doesn’t do anything truly remarkable or special and stays pretty true to the original and classics of the song but all of that cooped with her voice and orchestra really seal the package.
These three covers and more are from her most recent holiday EP titled A Very Laufey Holiday and it’s a beautiful flow of these christmas classics from a newer and jazzier perspective.
Laufey’s Christmas covers are perfect to enjoy during a long snowy car ride or to have on in the background at a holiday party with your friends.
