Ally Brooke really found a way to bottle the magic of Christmas in her 4-song EP, Under The Tree. Apart from the upbeat album title track, the rest of the songs are slow, and that’s a huge blessing. It allowed Brooke to put her beautiful voice forward, instead of making it all about the crazy twinkling sounds and jingling instruments that the holiday tunes have become famous for. From the first track “Have Yourself A Merry Christmas” to the last “White Christmas,” it’s a beautiful presentation that lures you into a kind of trance where everything is better and brighter.
“Have yourself a merry little Christmas / May your heart be light / From now on our troubles will be out of sight,” she sings, her voice and delivery adding another emotion to the song. In a way, it gives off romantic vibes and makes you picture dancing around the house with a loved one.
“I’ll Be Home For Christmas” follows, still as richly slow-burning as the first. But this dreamy romantic mood changes when the upbeat “Under the Tree” starts playing, making you a bit more playful and driving you to sway your body to its dance-worthy beats. “I’ve been talking to Santa and he told me everything that you want this year / I went shopping and planning / ribbons and candles / I got it all right here,” she sings in the first verse. “Mistletoe and champagne are pouring on Christmas morning / Everything on your list / It’s waiting if you go looking for it / I know you’ll adore it / your favorite gift.” The promise of a perfect Christmas morning makes this song that much special.
Throughout Under the Tree, she makes references to different Christmas traditions and myths, like Santa checking his Christmas list twice and mistletoes. Speaking of the song via a press release, she said, “My original “Under the Tree” is such a fun upbeat one that I know my fans are going to fall in love with! It means joy and love to me, being with your loved ones and having love in your heart.”
As for the jolly project, Brooke shared that the idea of releasing a Christmas project has been something she’s had for a long time. “The holidays are my favorite time of year!” she said. “There is nothing like it and I’m beyond thrilled to have my EP. It’s been a goal of mine for so long! I love that the holidays bring out goodness in people and to have that reflected in my EP means everything to me. The magic is in us all!”
In the cover image, Brooke is wearing a red dress and smiling brightly right next to a decorated tree. Another image shows her in a bathtub happily holding up a bottle of champagne.
I love that Brooke didn’t only make a rendition of these classic Christmas songs, but made them special by bringing new emotions out of them. I could totally see myself decking the halls, baking cookies, and singing and dancing to these songs. This is one of the celebrity renditions of classic Christmas songs that I genuinely love.