Ingrid Michaelson and Leslie Odom Jr. released a music video for their cover of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on Monday (Nov. 19). The cover is one of 12 songs on Ingrid Michaelson’s Songs for the Season, the singer/songwriter’s 2018 holiday album, which was recorded with a 35-piece symphony to evoke the nostalgic big band sound of the ’40s and ’50s.
In the video, Mariah Carey‘s classic Christmas song is reimagined through interpretive dance expressing longing to be with someone. The dance, shot in one take, was choreographed by Stacey Tookey of So You Think You Can Dance.
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“I’m just such a fan of the song that I had to find some way to cover it that would vibe with the rest of the record,” Michaelson said in a statement. “To me, the song is really about longing for someone who can’t be there with you. We stripped it down, added strings and tried to pull the sentiment and emotion to the forefront. Leslie was the first person who came to mind when I thought about making it a duet. He said yes and I’m so thankful he did as he added so much heart. With the video, I knew it had it be done in one take. The dancers represent our souls and emotions and their interplay, while Leslie and I are separated by distance, really illustrates this longing in a beautiful way.”
The retro vibe of Michaelson’s vision comes through in the styling, black-and-white visuals, and vintage microphones Michaelson and Odom sing into while the dancers move around them. Watch the music video here: