A forgotten piece of Kate Winslet's career has been unexpectedly resurrected, thanks to the power of TikTok. The platform's users have launched a concerted campaign to push her 2001 ballad, 'What If', to the top of the UK music charts, a full 24 years after its initial release.
From Film Soundtrack to Chart Contender
Back in 2001, the Titanic star, now 50, recorded the emotional power ballad for the soundtrack of the animated movie Christmas Carol: The Movie, in which she provided a voice. The song was written by the prolific hitmaking duo Steve Mac and Wayne Hector, known for their work with Westlife. Despite her reluctance, Winslet agreed to release it as a single on one crucial condition: that all proceeds would go to charity, specifically the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Sargent Cancer Care for Children.
The tune enjoyed a respectable chart performance at the time, reaching number 6 in the UK. Its climb was ultimately halted by the Christmas number one of that year, 'Somethin' Stupid' by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman. Apart from a brief reappearance at number 76 in 2010 following a Britain’s Got Talent performance, the song faded into obscurity.
TikTok Justice for a Noughties Ballad
Now, a new generation and loyal Millennials on TikTok are seeking what they call 'justice' for the festive favourite. The app has been flooded with videos of fans dramatically miming along to the song's heartfelt lyrics. Supporters of the campaign have pointed out that while the UK settled for number six, countries like Ireland, Belgium, and Austria got it right the first time, sending the track to number one in their charts.
They are now determined to see the UK follow suit. The campaign has highlighted all the hallmarks of a classic noughties power ballad, with many users praising its iconic key change as a particularly emotive highlight.
An Unwanted Revival for Winslet
Despite the song's newfound popularity, Kate Winslet herself might not be celebrating. She has previously admitted that she is 'haunted' by the track. In a 2017 interview with Radio 1's Greg James, she explained the story behind her reluctant foray into music.
'I provided the voice for an animated version of A Christmas Carol, and the producers come to me, and they said, "Oh, we’d like to give your character a song,"' Winslet recalled. 'I said, "That’s a nice idea," and they said, "Would you like to sing it?" I said, "Well, I can sing a bit, I’ll give it a go, and if you think it’s c**p, I really don’t mind, if you just ditch it and get a proper person to do it."'
She expressed frustration that the project was widely misinterpreted as the launch of a music career, which she insisted was always intended to be a one-off. The awkwardness continues to this day, with her husband, Edward Abel Smith, playing the song 'just for a laugh when we're on family holidays and I least want him to do it.' She also noted that she sometimes hears it in restaurants, where management presumably thinks she'd appreciate the gesture.
Whether the TikTok campaign will finally secure the number one spot that eluded 'What If' in 2001 remains to be seen, but it has certainly given the ballad a surprising second life.
