By Fatma Younis
Sir Elton John has announced a new duet with Irish pop star CMAT in a fresh bid for the UK Christmas number one spot. The pair have recorded a reimagined version of John's 1973 festive classic "Step into Christmas," which will serve as this year's Amazon Music Original Christmas song.
New Version of Classic Festive Hit
The original track, written by John and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, peaked at number 24 on the Official Singles Chart in January 1974 and has become a perennial holiday favorite. Last year the song re-entered the chart at number seven. The new release follows the success of Kylie Minogue's exclusive track "XMAS," which claimed the 2025 UK Christmas number one.
Artists Share Excitement
John praised CMAT's personality and musical roots, calling them "kindred spirits." CMAT, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, described the collaboration as the "greatest joy of my life" and invited the world to "step into Christmas" with them.
CMAT's Rising Profile
The 30-year-old Irish singer won the Best Album prize at this year's Ivor Novello Awards for her third LP "Euro-Country," which was also shortlisted for the 2025 Mercury Prize. She is known for tracks such as "Take A Sexy Picture Of Me," "When A Good Man Cries," and "Running/Planning."
Previous Christmas Chart Battles
John has previously targeted the Christmas number one, notably with his 2021 collaboration with Ed Sheeran, "Merry Christmas." That song debuted at the top but was displaced by the charity single "Sausage Rolls for Everyone" by LadBaby, which also featured Sheeran and John.
Release Details
The new duet will be available to stream exclusively on Amazon Music starting Thursday.
