Honoured for “Christmas Star” to be included on the list of best new holiday songs.
ATWOOD MAGAZINE: WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOLIDAYS AND THE HOLIDAY SEASON? WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAYS SONGS?
Debbie Gibson: I am a holiday season girl! Coming from big Italian family holidays were always full of joy for me. I love the classic Andy Williams specials and the classics like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and I also love Sia’s originals especially Candy Cane Lane, and of course Queen Mariah and “All I Want for Christmas is You”!
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO RECORD YOUR OWN HOLIDAY SONG, AND HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT MAKING IT YOUR OWN?
Debbie Gibson: I’m always trying to bring new ways of capturing universal ways in a mix of traditional and modern. Hearing my version of “Sleigh Ride” year after year in heavy rotation made me realize it was time to step it up as a songwriter and contribute something new! It’s easy to make an original song my own… I just really wrote what I would want to hear as a holiday music fan!
HOW DOES YOUR SONG CAPTURE THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT OR SEASON, FOR YOU?
Debbie Gibson: It’s got the sleigh bells and all of the stuff we expect from an upbeat holiday song but the lyrics are really directly related to the state of the world right now. I feel like so many of us are in need of an energy shift towards the hopeful and positive right now and I hope this song does that for people and, as the song says, “forgive the past and just move on”. Holiday season to me is a chance for a fresh start!
WITH SO MANY HOLIDAY SONGS OUT THERE, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOUR SONG BRINGS TO THE TABLE?
Debbie Gibson: I feel like “Christmas Star” has a message you can keep with you all year round which is to be the change you want to see in the world by walking the walk. It’s quite a modern message set to a very traditional message and beat. I love working with younger people and, this song was co-produced by 20 year old Sean Thomas which keeps it super connected to what’s current production wise as well. I hope this song can make people simply dance and feel good but, if they choose to dig a little bit deeper, I also hope they find year round inspiration in the message.
