Sir Elton John has joined forces with Irish singer CMAT for a new version of his festive hit single Step Into Christmas. The duet of the 1973 track will be this year's Amazon Music Original Christmas song.
The original single peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart in 2025. Last year's Amazon Music Original, XMAS by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, became the 2025 UK Christmas number one single.
Artists Praise the Collaboration
Sir Elton said: "I've loved CMAT since I first heard her and saw her videos years ago. She has this incredible personality and a wicked sense of humour."
He added: "You can tell she has rock and roll and country, and Americana, at the heart of what she does – we're kindred spirits in so many ways, and that's why I was so thrilled with the idea of us collaborating on Step Into Christmas. She's done an amazing job."
CMAT, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, said: "When I listen to the music of Elton John, I am seven years old in the back of my mam's car. It doesn't matter how old or famous I become – whenever I listen to Elton John I will always be seven years old in the back of my mam's car."
A Festive Invitation
She continued: "Reconciling this feeling with the reality of getting to work with the man in question has been confusing to say the least, but the greatest joy of my life."
CMAT added: "Christmas is my absolute favourite thing in the world, second maybe only to Elton John. I would like to invite the whole world to step into Christmas with us and make your yuletide dreams come true."
The announcement follows a series of Instagram posts earlier this week in which CMAT teased the single by dressing up as Sir Elton.
Background and Release
CMAT, 30, won the best album gong at this year's Ivor Novello Awards for her third LP Euro-Country, released last year. She is best known for songs such as Take A Sexy Picture Of Me, When A Good Man Cries and Running/Planning.
Sir Elton, whose birth name is Reginald Dwight, is best known for hits such as Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer and I'm Still Standing. He rose to fame in the 1970s following the release of his second album, the self-titled Elton John (1970), and has won five Grammys, five Brit awards and achieved 10 number one singles and albums in the UK charts.
The new song will be available to stream exclusively on Amazon Music from Thursday.
