"What Do I Want for Christmas?" is a charity song recorded by American television personality Luann de Lesseps, under the stage name and former courtesy title of Countess Luann. It was written and produced by Bruce Roberts and Billy Stritch and released as a single on November 12, 2021, with digital proceeds benefiting the Fortune Society. The song's recording process was partially documented on episodes of The Real Housewives of New York City, where de Lesseps invited her fellow cast members Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, Leah McSweeney, and Eboni K. Williams to record guest verses for the track.
| "What Do I Want for Christmas?" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Countess Luann | ||||
| Released | November 12, 2021 | |||
| Recorded | 2020 | |||
| Genre | Christmas | |||
| Length | 2:21 | |||
| Label | Self-released | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Countess Luann singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "What Do I Want for Christmas?" on YouTube | ||||
In most reviews of the song, critics did not take "What Do I Want for Christmas?" seriously, and comparisons to Mariah Carey's holiday releases were jokingly made. A music video featuring the Real Housewives was also released, with the cast members shown dancing and singing with de Lesseps. The song has since been featured on the set list to de Lesseps' touring holiday-themed variety show, A Very Countess Christmas.
Background and release
editThe ideation and recording process of "What Do I Want for Christmas?" was documented on various episodes of the thirteenth season of the American reality television series The Real Housewives of New York City, of which de Lesseps was a primary cast member. The song was recorded during the winter months of 2020, and would not released until the following holiday season, after the episodes it appears on had aired. de Lesseps' co-star Leah McSweeney's concern with potential legal issues following the release of the song was also discussed on the series and served as a point of contention between herself and de Lesseps. Ultimately, McSweeney recorded lines for the song, following de Lesseps' decision to have the song's proceeds benefit a charity and cast member Eboni K. Williams opining that no issues would arise regarding a charitable matter.[1] de Lesseps donated digital sales of the song to the Fortune Society.[2]
The single was distributed for download and streaming on November 12, 2021, when de Lesseps self-released the song to digital music platforms, her first commercial release since appearing on "Viva la Diva" with Desmond Child the year prior.[3]
Composition and lyrics
edit"What Do I Want for Christmas?" is a Christmas song written and produced by Bruce Roberts and Billy Stritch. Its lyrics make references to de Lesseps' touring cabaret show and friendships with the Real Housewives cast mates, amongst others; she told People in an interview: "It's just light and cheerful, and of course, it's all about my relationship with the women, my relationship with the world, my love of cabaret, so it feels really [like] a lot of fun".[4] The entire season 13 cast of McSweeney, Williams, Ramona Singer, and Sonja Morgan all provide guest verses on the songs, which de Lesseps explained was "so [that] nobody could bitch at me" if they were excluded from the effort.[4]
Reception and promotion
edit"What Do I Want for Christmas?" was not taken seriously by most critics. In Louis Staples' Vulture ranking of Real Housewives singles, he ranked de Lesseps' Christmas song in second-to-last place out of 36 titles, adding that "just like [the show's] thirteenth season, this song is not something fans will be holding on to any time soon."[5] People's Dory Jackson joked that with "What Do I Want for Christmas?", "de Lesseps is giving Mariah Carey a run for her money this holiday season."[4] In a review of the Real Housewives episode "Baby, It's Cold Outside" where the cast recording the song is shown, Brian Moylan from Vulture wrote about each of the guest features on the "middling" single: "Ramona proves to us that she is not only tone deaf when it comes to the remarks she makes in polite conversation, but also even in the simplest of holiday sing-alongs. Sonja has a great time performing but can’t remember the very simple lyrics to the song because Sonja cannot be scripted. Eboni comes by and hopes that no one thinks she is Whitney Houston, which no one does because Eboni’s still alive."[1] He also joked that the song was a "rip-off of 'All I Want for Christmas Is Koosh (Balls)'".[1]
The music video for "What Do I Want for Christmas?" premiered the same day of the single's release.[6] It features de Lesseps with her fellow cast members "dressed to the nines as they sing and dance around together".[4] In 2023, de Lesseps performed "What Do I Want for Christmas?" during the dates of her touring holiday-themed variety show, A Very Countess Christmas.[7][8]
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | November 12, 2021 | Self-released | [3] |
References
edit- ^ a b c Moylan, Brian (July 27, 2021). "The Real Housewives of New York City Recap: Nuclear Mistletoe". Vulture. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Rosenfeld, Laura (August 4, 2021). "Ramona Singer Gives Her Honest Opinion of Luann de Lesseps' Christmas Song". Bravo. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
- ^ a b References regarding the release of "What Do I Want for Christmas?" by Countess Luann on Apple Music:
- "What Do I Want for Christmas? – Single – Countess Luann". Apple Music (AU). November 12, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- "What Do I Want for Christmas? – Single – Countess Luann". Apple Music (CA). November 12, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- "What Do I Want for Christmas? – Single – Countess Luann". Apple Music (GB). November 12, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- "What Do I Want for Christmas? – Single – Countess Luann". Apple Music (SK). November 12, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- "What Do I Want for Christmas? – Single – Countess Luann". Apple Music (US). November 12, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Jackson, Dory (November 12, 2021). "Luann de Lesseps Gifts Fans New Holiday Song and Music Video – Featuring Her 'RHONY' Castmates!". People. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
- ^ Staples, Louis (June 23, 2022). "Real Housewives Songs, Ranked". Vulture. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
- ^ "Countess Luann –What Do I Want for Christmas? – (Official Music Video)". YouTube (US). November 12, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ "A Very Countess Christmas with Luann de Lesseps". 54 Below. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
- ^ Mauch, Ally (September 22, 2021). "'RHONY' 's Luann de Lesseps Announces New Holiday-Themed Cabaret Tour, 'A Very Countess Christmas'". People. Retrieved October 5, 2024.