“All I Want for Christmas Is You” celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. And if this song has become the anthem of the holidays, its story is far from banal: it was written in the middle of August! A look back at the secrets of timeless success.
Hard to believe, but the biggest Christmas hit was born in summer! It's 1994, and Mariah Carey's record company asks her to produce a festive album. A proposition which, at the time, did not enchant him: Christmas albums were often seen as “food” projects to revive flagging careers.
But at just 25 years old, Mariah is at the top. She eventually accepted the challenge and went to the studio in the middle of August. To get in the mood, she transforms the place into a real winter setting: fir trees, garlands and cool temperatures are there. A total immersion that will bear fruit.
“I decorated the studio, it wasn’t Christmas time at all, but we were going to get into it”explains the singer. “I started writing a Christmas song that became a love song that became a Christmas song again, to make something out of it…”she adds.
A quick creation
Legend has it that Mariah wrote “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 15 minutes flat. A great story, but not entirely true. The singer explains that she worked from a melody that she had composed years earlier on a keyboard. And while the idea came quickly, recording and mixing the backing vocals took much longer. Perfection takes effort, even under the garlands.
A success that took its time
Surprisingly, this global hit was not an immediate success. For several years, it was a popular piece without being essential. But everything has changed thanks to streaming platforms, which have put the great Christmas classics back in the spotlight.
For a decade, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has become a holiday staple. Last year, the song was listened to 23 million times in a single day, December 24! A popularity that pays off big for Mariah, with annual revenues estimated at several million euros.
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