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CartTAKE AIM: Amy Sciarretto vs. Christina Perri
Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:10:50
Singer Christina Perri is releasing her holiday EP, A Very Merry Perri Christmas, which features not-so-typical holiday classics and the original "Something About December." Her voice has a wintry quality, so hearing her sing these holiday songs makes us yearn for mugs of brandy-spiked eggnogs, sugar cookies with Santa Claus faces and presents under the tree.
ARTISTdirect's Amy Sciarretto was in the holiday spirit and knew she needed to sit down and talk to Perri about yuletide mirth and merriment.
We even decided to forego our usual TAKE AIM interrogation questions in favor of holiday-only ones.
But before we get into that…
The track listing for the holiday record is as follows:
"Something About December"
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"
"Ave Maria"
"Merry Christmas Darling"
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
"Please Come Home For Christmas"
Why did you decide to do a holiday album now?
Christmas music is my all-time favorite. It was the first music I remember listen to. My mom is a Christmas music freak and that got passed down to me. It's my favorite. I'd do little concerts with my brother for my whole family. I could only do an EP due to this madness of touring and stuff.
Favorite holiday tradition?
There are so many in the Perri household. My favorite is food. I come from a giant Italian family, and we eat more during Christmas than all year. We have 17 dishes that last us for two weeks that my mom makes. Going to midnight mass. There are so many.
Favorite holiday libation or bevvie?
Hot cocoa. I don't drink it ever, at any other time of year. A bit of hot cocoa at my parents.
Can you share a story about "Something About December?"
That's the original. It's been brewing inside me for a long time. I always wanted to write a Christmas song, since that is a scary concept, since there are classics and the awful ones. How do you not do an awful one? The best story to tell is a week before I planned on writing it…but remember, I hate planned songwriting. Songs come from a magical place, and you can't plan it. I planned a window to hopefully write it and I asked my brother to be a part of it, since he is a part of all my Christmases. He said, 'Let's start thinking about concepts.' There's always a phrase, one thing, that it means, the whole song is about that. Alright, no pressure. Let me come up with my own innovative Christmas theme. [Laughs] I tried not to trip out on it. I was super homesick, and had a one-hour break on a 16-hour press day. Someone said, 'Take a nap.' A nap in one hour? I went to my hotel. I was homesick. It was April and I was listening to Christmas music. It was my happy place. The phrase "Christmas is in your heart wherever you are" comes from that. You already have it in you.
What does Christina Perri want under the tree on December 25?
I don't want to sound cheesy but I want my family. I feel like Home Alone. He wishes for his family. I've been gone nonstop for two-and-a-half years.
Will you check out Christina Perri's holiday EP?
—Amy Sciarretto
10.26.12
