RISING star Sarah Reeves is more than ready for Christmas and has some New Year plans in place too, she revealed this week.
This month saw the singer/songwriter, who is based in Nashville, Tennessee, release her Christmas EP, More The Merrier.
She shared some behind-the-scenes insights on her festive release and her own Christmas traditions with The Irish Post.
Despite the inevitable chaos of the festive season, Reeves, whose great-grandparents hail from Ireland, looks for more slowing down at this time of year.
Getting everything tip-top for the holidays may get overwhelming, but this indescribable requisite for perfection is not what matters, she claims.
But in the mayhem of preparations, Christmas music is what brings everyone back together.
And Reeves has just added to the canon of festive tunes that are out there, with her new release More the Merrier.
"A lot of times I feel like Christmas can be kind of last minute, but his year we were really intentional about doing this project,” she said.
“So I've been in Christmas mode since spring, and I'm very excited that it's finally out,” she admits.
"It's my favorite project of my career thus far.”
Sarah Reeves is planning a 2022 tourFor someone with an over-a-decade-long career, Reeves has dabbled with various genres and successfully performed alongside high-profile DJs such as Laidback Luke, GATTÜSO, Justice Skolnik. Her early signing as an 18-year-old meant she was able to try out different things and discover her own path.
But with her delicate vocals and personal attachment with Christmas, it is no surprise that's where she feels most at home.
More The Merrier is Reeves' second Christmas project and hopefully not the last one.
She explained what it means to her.
"Christmas music to me is a sign of slowing down and family.
“It brings back a nostalgic feeling to me".
As she starts talking about her family traditions, it is clear music always played a significant role in setting the mood.
"At our house, we have a bunch of old Christmas vinyl, like the Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Andy Williams and anytime the weather starts to get a little cooler right, we start just putting on those old classic vinyls.
“It just instantly puts us in the Christmas spirit and makes everything feel so cozy."
Together with music, quality family time is the core of the Christmas holidays for Reeves.
"I grew up in a very small town, and we would always visit our whole family and cousins and grandparents; everybody lived on the same street," Reeves shares, but continues by considering new traditions.
"I feel like I'm starting to make new traditions.
“Now that I'm kind of grown-up and I'm married now, we're still trying to figure out what our own traditions are.
“I think to me, I just think of being home because we're always gone and traveling".
What is certain is that Reeves has plans for 2022 already in her mind, and she’s hopeful that – Covid-19 permitting – she will be able to pursue them.
Waiting on how the world's situation unwinds, Reeves hopes to go on tour next year.
And she “can’t wait” to travel to Ireland - as her grandmother always told her they have Irish in their blood linking all the way back to her great and great-great grandparents.
Having always loved the Irish food, culture and history, Reeves would love to visit and experience it herself.
In the meantime, she continues to enjoy her current Irish connections, having written songs with a label mate Darren Mulligan and also Irish writer Alex O’Shaughnessy.
And for now she is at home getting into the Christmas spirit, hoping her fans will cozy up this winter and enjoy More The Merrier.
