Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken is back with a stunning new version of the Bing Crosby classic "Do You Hear What I Hear?," the first single from his highly anticipated Christmas album
Christmas Bells are Ringing, set to be released on November 22nd. Aiken's unique interpretation infuses the classic carol with his signature vocal warmth and emotional depth making it a song for our times. Written in 1962 by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is timeless in its message, yet even more resonant today. Aiken reflects, "The whole American political climate over the past few years hasn't really given us much in the way of hope or optimism. As much as I wanted to believe I might be able to make some positive change in that world, I've realized that music often does a better job of that." Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Ron Fair, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is the first release from Aiken's first studio album in over a decade, following a hiatus from music which found Aiken running for Congressional office in North Carolina, and raising his now teenage son. The album,
Christmas Bells are Ringing, marks a return to the holiday music that solidified Aiken's place as a household name in 2004, when his debut holiday album
Merry Christmas With Love broke records, selling nearly 300,000 copies in its first week. That album went platinum, becoming the best-selling holiday album of 2004 and earning Aiken three Billboard Music Awards.The new record boasts fresh takes on holiday staples like Nat King Cole's "Caroling, Caroling" and Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime", as well as a lush reinvention of "Merry Christmas, Darling" by the Carpenters (one of Clay's musical inspirations) and a show-stopping rendition of "Pure Imagination" which reimagines the
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory classic as a fitting soundtrack for the holiday season. Clay Aiken's rise to stardom began in 2003 as the runner-up on season two of American Idol. His debut single, "This Is the Night" debuted at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, while his debut album
Measure of a Man was certified triple platinum. Aiken has since sold millions of albums, launched national tours, starred on Broadway, and made his mark as a philanthropist and politician.Celebrating the 20th anniversary of
Merry Christmas With Love, Clay Aiken's new album,
Christmas Bells are Ringing' promises to bring the same joy and spirit to listeners, making it the perfect soundtrack for the 2024 holiday season.
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