Norah Jones and Laufey Christmas single

Norah Jones & Laufey: Christmas With You: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas / Better Than Snow
(Blue Note, 585210 6, US, 2023)

Norah Jones and Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir differ more than 20 years in age and were born in completely different parts of the world (respectively New York City, USA and Reykjavik, Iceland) but they also have a lot in common. They both came from mixed-race and musical families. Jones is the daughter of Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar, while Laufey’s mother was a classic trained Chinese violinist, and her grandfather was a violin educator of the Central Conservatory of Music in China. Both had a musical education, Jones at the University of North Texas and Laufey at the Reykjavík College of Music and later at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Both mention Billie Holiday as an early influence. And both are known as jazz singers and musicians, who take jazz as there starting point but are not afraid to allow other influences into their music, be it (bedroom) pop or country, which has led to both appealing to a wide audience. Jones had six US top 3 albums, Laufey one, but that is mainly because she only has released two albums so far.

Both also have a love for Christmas music. Over the years, Jones has recorded many Christmas songs, be it as a guest on other artists albums (Seth MacFarlane's Christmas album 'Holiday For Swing'), duetting with other singers (with Cyndi Lauper on a 2011 cover of ‘Home For The Holidays’), on television (on the Holiday Special 2011 of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations), as part of the group Puss N Boots that she had formed with Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper (the 2019 5-song Christmas EP ‘Dear Santa’) or as a solo artist (the 2021 album ‘I Dream Of Christmas’). Laufey released a Christmas EP in 2022, 'A Very Laufey Holiday'’ and supplied vocals for Alexander 23’s Christmas single 'Ain't Christmas', also in 2022.

And now, in 2023, the two women got together, and recorded two Christmas songs for a Christmas single, ‘Christmas With You’. The single has one cover, ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’, and one original that Jones and Laufey wrote together, ‘Better Than Snow’. Both songs sound very intimate, as if both ladies are sitting right beside you, playing the songs. Jones plays piano and Laufey guitar and cello, while both share vocals on both songs. On 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' the distinct voices of the two singers blend very well together and there is enough room for some jazzy musical interludes. It is a song that has been recorded many times over, but this version definitely adds something new and fresh to the song.

Laufey lives in Los Angeles, and that may have inspired the playful 'Better Than Snow', as Jones and Laufey sing about Christmas lights on palm trees, driving to the ocean, watching the waves and being warmed by the sun. 'Jackfrost won't mind if we / Stay in the heat of each other / Christmas With You / Is Better Than Snow'. So no snowmen are build this year, but sandcastles. Nevertheless, cookies will still be baked... a very relaxed song, that will go over well, not only if you celebrate Christmas in Los Angeles, but also if you celebrate it in snowy Reykjavik or New York City.

The single comes in three variants: on red vinyl, that can be bought from Norah Jones' website and the Blue Note website, on green vinyl as a Spotify Exclusive, and on regular black vinyl - for all those who just are going to buy it in their local record shop.

You can buy the red vinyl here
You can buy the green vinyl here
You can buy the black vinyl here or can order it through your local record shop.

And you can listen to the songs on Youtube. ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ here:

And to ‘Better Than Snow’ here: