![[A Major Glow-Up!] Western songs that color the illuminations—tracks you’ll want to listen to together](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/oVvQZovyWk8/maxresdefault.webp)
[A Major Glow-Up!] Western songs that color the illuminations—tracks you’ll want to listen to together
Music that makes the illuminations shine even brighter.
You hear it around town, don’t you?
When winter comes, Christmas trees and illuminations become even more dazzling and eye-catching.
This time, I’ll introduce Western songs that match those illuminations.
From Christmas songs and sparkling tracks to gently romantic tunes, they’re all wonderful, aren’t they?
I’ve also focused on party songs that make time with friends even more fun, as well as songs that depict light.
What kind of songs do you like?
Be sure to enjoy them on your way home, when hanging out with friends, or on a date!
[A Serious Glow-Up!] Western songs that color the illuminations: tracks to listen to together (1–10)
Christmas TimeNEW!Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams is a singer-songwriter who has also made a name for himself as a photographer.
He’s known for his distinctly husky voice, and his music is primarily rooted in pop rock.
“Christmas Time” is one of his holiday numbers.
Although he boasts a four-octave vocal range, this song also spans a fairly wide range, from mid2G to hihiA.
That said, the vocal line itself is very simple, with frequent repetitions.
Plus, since the key can be lowered, anyone with a decent range should be able to sing it well.
We Wish You A Merry ChristmasNEW!Enya
Since it’s a traditional piece well known as a choral work, many of you have probably heard it before.
This time, because Enya has covered it and shaped it with a sense of “transparency, healing, and fantasy,” the key points of how to sing it are completely different from a standard choral version.
Enya’s charm lies in her breathy whisper voice.
Unlike the sparkling style of typical choral pieces, her understated delivery and the way she handles word endings are especially distinctive.
The tempo is relaxed, so you can take a breath for each phrase, and it may be good to sing carefully while keeping a consistent head resonance.
For the phrase endings, rather than adding vibrato, letting the sound fade away smoothly will give it that whisper-voice quality—I highly recommend it.
Christmas EveNEW!Idina Menzel
This song is included on a Christmas holiday album released in 2014.
In Japan, the same album was also released under the title “Snow Wishes,” and the song appears there as well.
Since it shares the same melody as Tatsuro Yamashita’s “Christmas Eve,” it’s very easy to listen to.
If you want a stylish English version, Idina Menzel’s rendition might be a good choice.
That said, the song builds steadily toward the latter half, so there are several spots where you’ll need to hit higher notes.
The ending phrases have very cool melodic lines, so men can lower the key and still deliver it well.
Overall, rather than enunciating crisply throughout, it’s better to sing with awareness of accents at the beginning and in certain parts.
Every Year, Every ChristmasNEW!Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross has a soft, rich singing voice.
“Every Year, Every Christmas” is a Christmas song that suits his voice perfectly.
Because it’s a relaxed tempo, even those who aren’t confident in English pronunciation can sing it calmly.
There are plenty of parts to really sing out, and it feels good just to listen—so if you can master it, it’ll feel even better! Vocal power is important, but more than that, focus on resonance when you sing.
In the parts where the chorus swells, use your breath well to project your voice farther, and let it resonate in your chest and head.
Simply placing a hand on your chest helps you feel the resonance and makes it easier to sing.
For high notes, don’t force chest voice; aim for head resonance so you can use a strong falsetto—be especially mindful of your breath here too!
Holly Jolly ChristmasNEW!Michael Bublé
Originally, it’s a classic Christmas song from the 1960s, first performed by Burl Ives.
Michael Bublé’s version was released in 2011.
It has jazzy elements, making it very stylish and easy to groove to.
At just two minutes long, it’s not hard to learn and feels familiar, so I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to pick up a Christmas tune! Overall, it’s a song that sounds really cool when sung with a relaxed feel and a light touch.
The jazz swing is key—don’t overthink it, let your body catch the groove! The rhythm will naturally fall into place.
I feel like it’s perfect for singing while swaying side to side with a drink in hand.
Try singing it as if you’re humming during a little break!
The First NoelNEW!Pentatonix
Many of you may already know the original song, which comes from the traditional English Christmas carol “The First Nowell / The First Noel.” Pentatonix focuses on a cappella harmonies, making both the lead melody and the harmony parts easy to hear, and their singing seems to flow straight into the heart.
Some of you might be practicing a cappella for the Christmas season, right? Since a cappella relies on singing in perfect sync, I think it’s best to memorize the lyrics completely.
Of course, singing it solo at karaoke also creates a great atmosphere! Rather than singing it in a flowing manner, if you deliver each phrase carefully and with feeling, it becomes a very compelling piece—so sing it with confidence!
Night Before ChristmasNEW!Sam Smith
Singer-songwriter Sam Smith, known for his distinctive high-tone voice, originally focused mainly on ballads, but his musical style has evolved since around “Unholy,” and he’s now exploring a variety of genres.
His Christmas number “Night Before Christmas” is a piece imbued with a soulful vibe.
Because it’s in 3/4 time, the rhythm can be hard for Japanese listeners to feel, but the tempo is very slow and the melodic leaps aren’t extreme, so if you’re comfortable with Black music, definitely give it a try.