Apostola Perspective on Christmas with the Family

Hello! Sorry for the late reply; I did not get a notification that there was a question so I do apologise, and thank you for your question!

When I released my first Christmas track (Christmas Smiles),  I had a video made for it that featured an avatar of me, which I then used again for the second track (Christmas Card). I think the avatar is far more festive than an image of me would be so I used that instead as it also ties all the songs of the EP together from the videos. 

I don't post many images of myself as I am a bit camera shy, but also, because I don't look the way that music artists 'should' look according to society, and because I don't want to go through enhancements and filters to look that way, I stay more behind the scenes.

That said, I know I should perhaps put my face out there a bit more so that listeners can put the face to the music, so for 2025, I will try to gain the confidence to do so!

I do hope you enjoyed Christmas and the EP; and my other music, and thank you again for taking the time to ask a question!

‘Christmas with the Family’ is a classic Christmas pop track; typical of the genre with lots of festive bells and 'ohhs' and 'ahhs'.

The track is part of my 'Christmas EP' alongside 'Christmas Smiles' and 'Christmas Card' and I feel that I have completed my Christmas song offering as they have come full circle thematically, so I don’t think I will write any more seasonal songs!

I never thought I would write a Christmas song at all as my lyrics tend to be more ‘heavy’ and Christmas songs are very jolly and upbeat, but in the midst of Covid, I was wishing that by Christmas everyone would be reunited with loved ones and be able to feel that joy and togetherness of the festive season. And thus, 'Christmas Smiles' was born, with a yearning to feel that warmth, joy and compassion of Christmas - and see the smiles - all year long and not just once a year. 

By the next year, the pandemic was still lingering and had also changed the way we connect. We had ‘forgotten’ how to keep in touch with people due to lockdowns or were simply out of the habit as it had taken so long to get back to normal interaction. And so, 'Christmas Card' was written as a reminder to get in touch with family and friends to let them know that you are thinking of them, even if another year has gone by so fast that you haven't been able to keep in touch as much as you would like to… and with a vow to try harder in the new, coming year!

I didn't write a Christmas song for a couple of years, but as things are very tough this year for many people (wars, aggressions, economic hardship), it seemed more pertinent that Christmas (for those who celebrate) be about connection and loved ones and not worrying about the trimmings, presents, expenses and lavishness that Christmas has become.

I am acutely aware that the songs may seem glib given how so many people are suffering and are struggling just to survive, but I hope that the songs will be enjoyed for their messages of love and unity.

With the Christmas tracks I want to capture that warm, cosy, happy feeling of the festive season whilst also focusing on the elements that Christmas should be about (compassion, love, generosity, connection, joy, peace and harmony), rather than the 'stuff' that Christmas has become more and more about (materialism, gluttony, excess).

The traditional definition of success for music artists is to have a huge presence and celebrity status with millions of visible streams and sales. The definition of success for indie music artists is very different because a lot of the avenues for connecting with music lovers are different. For example, an indie artist could have a very low number of visible streams and social media followers, or not be a household name, but could have a large following through direct contact (sites like Bandcamp, Patreon, and email mailing list for communicating), so for indie artists musical success is a more 'personal' journey. It is, of course, a much harder experience as indies wear many hats and autonomously create music from start to promotion, with their own funding rather than being the frontperson and having a team in the back handling all other aspects, which again makes it more personal; everything you see from an indie is from and by them.