Megan Nicole Music LLC
Release Date: October 28th 2022
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Megan Nicole– Christmas Mo14rning (EP) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Sleigh Ride
- Christmas Morning
- Jingle Bells
- Last Christmas
- Christmas Wrapping
One of the most cheerful, bubbly, joyous and happy people that I’ve come across, based on her demeanour on her various YouTube videos over the years; is Megan Nicole. On of the many artists who predominately release music within the YouTube and digital space, Megan has been releasing original material and covers for a while. You can check out her YouTube channel here, and her releases on Apple Music– some of her original hit songs include “Checklist”, “My Kind Of Party”, “Escape”, “Electrified”, “Summer Forever”, “Safe With Me”, and “Courageous”. Megan previously released a Christmas EP in 2013, as well as various other singles over the years inclusive of “Deck The Halls”, “This Christmas” and “Holly Jolly Christmas”; but this year Megan is back with something new to celebrate the reason for the season. For one reason or another, we haven’t covered her music on this site- but that’s all about to change now, as Megan has delivered a solid and powerful EP- even if it is a little on the short side in number of songs and duration.
Opening the short but punchy EP Christmas Morning, is “Sleigh Ride”. “Sleigh Ride” is transformed from a normally fast-paced pop/rock melody to a laid-back acoustic guitar led reggae/R&B style track (which is indeed inspiring and moving, however I still enjoy Relient K’s recording of “Sleigh Ride” the best!); while the second track is the original title track. A spiritual sequel to the song “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, Megan sings from the perspective of someone who is travelling during the holidays and is desperately trying hard to make it home before Christmas morning. And as the persona relays that ‘…I’ll be there by Christmas morning, place the star up on the tree, you’re the only gift I need, perfect ending to this story, hang a stocking just for me…’, we are encouraged to make time for family and friends this holiday, as spending time with loved ones is incredibly important and paramount. “Jingle Bells”, another bouncy ‘summer-y’ acoustic pop melody, is covered here by Megan (but Colton Dixon’s version rules above all other versions), while Megan also delivers “Last Christmas”, a Wham! cover, but also a worthy rendition that has me tapping my toes and humming along to the engaging lyrics (even though the lyrics are kinda suspect and depressing). Christmas Morning then ends with the cynical and possibly satirical “Christmas Wrapping”, a cover from the 80’s track by The Waitresses, with Megan singing about the commercialisation of Christmas and about how the world is about buying more and more stuff, when it shouldn’t be like that at all.
Megan Nicole may live on the internet mostly, but that doesn’t mean her music is inferior to that of a touring artist. Her songs, and this Christmas EP especially, reminds us all, that Megan and her brand of pop is here to stay. Joyful, cheerful, moving, inspiring and honest, Christmas Morning is an EP that ends even before it really begins- but this collection of songs is well worth the listen. Is Megan going to unveil her debut full length album someday? I hope so. Regardless, these 5 songs are solid and nice- and though not super timeless; Megan’s effervescent presence here is charming and these songs are well worth you all checking out the project. Well done, Megan, I can’t wait to hear what’s next for you in the future!
3 songs to listen to: Christmas Morning, Last Christmas, Christmas Wrapping
Score: 4/5
RIYL: Cimorelli, Peter Hollens, First To Eleven, Alex Melton, Halocene, Kurt Hugo Schneider