Girls Aloud have re-released their much-loved Christmas album, Christmas ‘Round At Ours, now available on streaming and download – with CD and red vinyl following on 14 November.
Originally a bonus disc with the limited edition of their 2005 album, Chemistry, the album has been remastered with a new definitive tracklist by Universal Music Recordings and Fascination. It also features a previously-unreleased remix from the vault, Not Tonight Santa – Christmas Party Mix, accompanied by a festive music video including all five girls.
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The album includes four classic festive covers and four original Girls Aloud Christmas songs, written and produced by Xenomania under the monikers S.Claws and Randy Snaps. Sleeve notes, unseen photos, and archival images of the band are also included, offering fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of the album.
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Kimberley Walsh recalls how the Christmas project began: “Just as we were adding the finishing touches to what would become our Chemistry album, our producer Brian Higgins had a wildcard last minute idea. As the album had been scheduled for a December release, how about we record some bonus Christmas tracks? Our record label loved the idea but went one step further and suggested we record a whole Christmas album which could be packaged with the main album as a strictly limited edition deluxe format.”
Nicola Roberts explains the fast turnaround: “We decided to record 4 classic Christmas covers – and the Xenomania team were going to write 4 brand-new original Girls Aloud Christmas songs. There was only one issue – time. We had one week for the remaining new songs to be written and to record everything. Everyone went into festive overdrive. While we were recording the Christmas covers in the Xenomania studio (we picked Jingle Bell Rock because it was in the movie Mean Girls), Miranda Cooper and Lisa Cowling spent a weekend in Devon writing lyrics to the four brand new Christmas songs.”
Cheryl adds: “The new songs were all highly kitsch and sometimes ridiculous. The album was always meant to be called Christmas ‘Round At Ours – that’s why the Christmas TV advert was themed ‘At home with Girls Aloud’, but it was decided it was too confusing to give it a name of its own, as it would only ever be available as part of the Chemistryalbum. Until now that is.”
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Nadine Coyle recalls the album’s iconic artwork: “The day we photographed the front sleeve was the same day we were photographed for the main Chemistry sleeve. When we walked into the photo studio it was like walking on to a film set – the kitchen scene you see on the front of the album was a set build and it looked so impressive, like something from a 1950s Hollywood movie. If you’d told us then than many years later the chosen image from the day would be celebrated by the National Portrait Gallery (which it did in Christmas 2023) we’d never have believed you!”
(Image: Supplied)
Not Tonight Santa is accompanied by a festive video featuring previously unseen footage from the Girls Aloud Christmas archive.
Fans can pre-order the album here: Girls Aloud – Christmas ‘Round At Ours.
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