0:04
When Elton rang me and said let's do a Christmas song, I was like there's no point doing a Christmas song because there are so many great ones out there.
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0:10
If we're going to do it, we have to chuck the kitchen sink at it.
0:17
It sounds like the most fun recording session of your entire life. So we wrote three. We wrote three that day.
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So I when he rang me, I was like I don't know what that sounds like and then I wrote that chorus there.
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Kiss me under the mistletoe.
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That day I've got a voice recording from Christmas Day last year.
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And then when I went to go and stay with him, we wrote two others. Hold on. Pause.
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Pause that big brain of yours.
0:39
You wrote a Christmas song on Christmas Day.
0:43
Well, you I mean you're not going to write it in July, are you? Well, most people do.
0:45
I would say if you did a pop quiz of everyone who wrote Christmas songs over the course of their life, you are in the top 1% of people who actually wrote them on Christmas Day.
0:55
I I'd almost put my reputation on it.
0:57
I feel like that's the time you feel most Christmasy, I guess. It being Christmas Day. I guess.
1:02
I mean no, it's very obvious observation.
1:04
It just I don't know why it sort of throws me for a loop.
1:06
I think because I was sort of expecting you to maybe not be working on Christmas Day, but maybe that's just what you do.
1:13
I'm always writing songs.
1:13
There's always a guitar about.
1:14
And I don't know, I felt curious after he said that cuz I've never actually thought of making a Christmas song.
1:19
It's always been the type of thing that I thought I'd do when I was like 60.
1:23
And you know, it's like that that basically my manager Stuart said he'd retire if I ever made a Christmas album.
1:29
I don't I don't he retired. He's a man of his word. He's a man of his word.
1:31
And it's been a very successful run. I'm just saying. I know.
1:37
Well, I mean I mean maybe maybe this is the swan song for Stuart, but um but no, I mean uh to be honest, if it wasn't with Elton, I wouldn't be doing it.
1:45
I'm uh I'm it's he's I've always wanted to work with him and this made the most sense cuz now I get to have maybe doing like Christmas promos together.
1:53
We just shot a a music video.
1:55
Um oh mate, I almost killed him with a bell. What?
1:59
On the On the video, there's there's footage of um I'm dressed up uh as sort of sexy Santa Claus.
2:07
And I kick a present, but the present had a big metal bell on top of it.
2:09
I showed him the footage of it today cuz we slowed it down and the bell flew past his head.
2:16
And would have cracked him in in the head.
2:19
Oh my gosh, the horror that went through my body where it was flying through the air.
2:23
But man, the music video is wild.
2:25
We've uh we parodied all the great British music videos that came at Christmas.
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So we've got I'm the snow I'm the little boy from The Snowman in it. I'm Shaking Stevens.
2:34
Uh we do What else do we do? E-17. Um What else? Wham! Last Christmas. to say Last Christmas.
2:43
And that must have been a little bit of an emotional one.
2:45
I know that you obviously leaning into the joy and the fun of re- retelling those scenes.
2:48
But man, I can't listen to Last Christmas the same way anymore for obvious reasons. Just too somber.
2:55
I think music with artists that we love that we have lost is even more important when we to to to actually play it.
3:02
And that actually went number one last year for the first time, which means people are even even more. Yeah.
3:11
Me as an artist, I would be so sad if I passed away and people weren't playing my music anymore.
3:15
And I think people are listening to it more as as a as a tribute.
3:19
I mean, he's such a wonderful songwriter and performer.
3:22
And to be remembered every single year with this song.
3:25
I mean, like yes, it is somber to listen to it cuz we've lost someone really great.
3:28
But also, it's an amazing way to remember him every single year because it brings so much joy to people.
3:35
That's what the music does, right?
3:35
Hey, guess who's with us right now? It must be Christmas.
3:38
Uh odds on, very favorite to be Christmas number one.
3:42
Do you know I'll say Zane, for for anyone in the UK listening, do not count LadBaby out.
3:45
Do not count LadBaby out.
3:48
I'm I'm I'm I reckon they are going to be Christmas number one.
3:51
You guys are going to smash it.
3:51
Can you imagine if it goes in at 163 with a bullet?
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Can you imagine if it's like "It's the official charts and a new entry at 163 in the Do you know what Do you know what I cuz cuz I spoke to Elton about this because cuz LadBaby is all for Trussell Trust, it's all for food banks, it's for you know, feeding feeding people.
4:09
Um so we we said let's release it early December because we would love obviously love a number one, but it doesn't have to be Christmas number one.
4:17
We just wanted a Christmas song in in the ether, but I definitely want LadBaby to get Christmas number one.
4:25
I think I think that's more that's more important for UK culture than than me me and Elton.
4:29
But also having a bit of silliness at Christmas, you know?
4:33
this song also is silly, too.
4:33
It's meaningful and emotional, but it is silly.
4:36
That's why I said at the beginning you kill Christmas.
4:37
Like I'm obviously joking, but the song is definitely got a lot going on.
4:40
And uh and by the way, you know, you listening kids out there in in this never-ending competitive strive for greatness, you you get so many hits that in the end you give the number ones away.
4:51
I mean, you know, you just came from literally going on a social media post like "All right, listen.
4:56
Put Elton in the top spot, yeah?"
4:58
And now you're just like "Listen, LadBaby, give them the number one, yeah?" We need silliness back. We need silliness.
5:05
And we need philanthropy. We need giving. It is a time for giving.
5:06
You guys are doing the same thing.
5:08
You've been very kind in talking about LadBaby and and the efforts that are going into sharing the profits of that, but you are not being left out of that situation as well.
5:16
Um both you and Elton are dividing the profits from the song uh up amongst things that are important to you.
5:20
For Elton, it's obviously his long-standing and legendary uh and very groundbreaking AIDS Foundation, which has done ridiculously incredible work. And for you, what is it?
5:28
It's the Suffolk Music Foundation.
5:30
Talk us Talk us through that for a second.
5:32
So, do you know, it started off with my high school getting in touch with me and saying that um between the arts at my high school, they got 500 pounds a year, and that's between drama, music, and art.
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500 pounds between all of them to split.
5:47
And so they said, "Look, science gets 10 grands, maths gets 10 grands, English gets 10 grands.
5:52
Would you put into our our arts?"
5:54
And I was like, "Well, yeah, I'll put 10 into each of them."
5:58
So now the arts at my old school is the best funded arts program in Suffolk.
6:04
And well, in in in England. England, wait.
6:06
We've just got to acknowledge that not just from the generosity and for the giving back that you've done through something that is that has given you such a beautiful life and us such great songs.
6:14
But the fact that by putting in what is a lot of money, but I'm so sorry. I got to say this.
6:23
It it's really not a scratch on what the arts should be receiving in terms of funding.
6:28
It England's I think third or fourth biggest export out of everything is the arts.
6:33
And I'm talking like Damien Hirst, I'm talking Elton John, I'm talking Paul McCartney.
6:37
And can state state funded arts is so overlooked and they just don't they don't see the importance of it.
6:45
But it's the thing that our country is proudest about.
6:46
You go anywhere in the world, people know The Beatles.
6:47
You go anywhere in the world, people seen a Danny Boyle film.
6:50
You go anywhere in the world, people know of you know, Bridget Riley or um Damien Hirst or you know, who who are being played at Christmas time right now?
7:00
I mean, in terms of modern classics.
7:02
They're all Love Actually. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Exactly.
7:05
And man, so so anyway, so from doing that I started doing that 4 years ago and the knock-on effect from kids at the school because it's not just music.
7:15
It's you know, I I paid for a a darkroom there for people to learn how to do photography and there's computers for people to do editing on pictures and stuff like that.
7:24
And the knock-on effect I've seen from kids coming out of that and me bumping into parents in my local area who you know, the kids are going to university and they're doing this and I'm like, "That is such a wonderful thing that I would love to do it for every single school in Suffolk."
7:37
So what I did was set up uh, the Suffolk Music Foundation, which is basically a start on that.
7:43
So, my first step into it is basically, if you want to learn music and you can't afford to buy a musical instrument or you can't afford music lessons, you write into the Music Foundation, and then I I have It's actually the the guy who's my, um, music teacher.
7:59
He goes through everything, and he sends me a list, and then we basically buy violins or double basses or cellos or guitars, and then we pay for music lessons.
8:08
And every year, there's about sort of like 150 kids that get that.
8:12
And the more and more money that's put into it, the more and more kids we can help.
8:15
And then eventually, I would love to do what I do at my school at every school in Suffolk.
8:19
And then eventually, I would love to take the Suffolk off it and it just be the Music Foundation, and it just be that for for English schools.
8:26
But, you know, you have to start somewhere.
8:27
But, it's, um, it's a it's a great charity.
8:30
Um, I bump into 10-year-old kids with their parents who are starting drum lessons.
8:36
I bump into kids that have just gone into university.
8:38
Um, and it's, yeah, it's really, really pos- pos- positive.
8:41
And on that on that note as well, in terms of, um, the song being for for charity, it's not just me and Elton.
8:48
Steve Mac, who, um, um, produced the song, has waived his producer fee and points, and he's putting all of that into our charities as well.
8:56
So, I do have to big him up for being just a good sport on that. It's a beautiful story.
9:00
Uh, the song is called Merry Christmas.
9:02
I mean, it's bold in the title.
9:04
I feel like there's a glitch in the matrix because the I and I'm I swear that is the only song called Merry Christmas. You are lying.
9:13
There's Happy Xmas, Merry Xmas, uh, Xmas is here.
9:18
What are you going to watch?
9:19
Well, every Christmas, I watch a Blackadder Christmas Carol.
9:21
I watch Love Actually, um, and that's pretty much it.
9:27
Have a really great time, bro.
9:27
Love to you and the family, and we'll see you in the new year with lots of exciting things, I'm sure. Absolutely, man. Thank you so much. I'm good. I'm good.