Honestly, if you haven’t felt that sudden urge to blast "Santa Tell Me" the second the clock strikes midnight on November 1st, are you even living in the 2020s? It's weird. Every year, like clockwork, Ariana Grande’s face starts popping up on every festive playlist, and suddenly, the "Queen of Christmas" debate gets a whole lot more complicated.
Most people think of her as just a pop star who happens to have a catchy holiday hit. But if you actually dig into the christmas music ariana grande has put out over the last decade, you realize she’s basically built a seasonal empire that rivals the heavy hitters. We aren't just talking about a couple of covers here. We're talking about a massive, R&B-infused catalog that has changed how Gen Z and Millennials even listen to holiday music.
The Unstoppable Rise of Santa Tell Me
Let’s talk numbers for a second because they’re actually insane. On Christmas Eve 2025, "Santa Tell Me" didn't just play in a few malls. It shattered records. The track pulled in over 16 million streams on Global Spotify in a single day.
Think about that.
That is more than most artists get in a year. It’s officially a modern standard. When it first came out in 2014, it was just a "kinda cute" song about not wanting to fall in love if the guy wasn't going to be there next year. Relatable? Extremely. But now? It’s the first 21st-century holiday song to actually crack the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, which happened a full decade after it was released.
Ariana originally didn’t even want to do a Christmas song. She admitted it in a livestream back in the day. She changed her mind, and thank god she did, because that one decision basically paid for a few of her houses. The song works because it doesn't sound like a dusty old record from the 50s. It’s got that signature Max Martin polish, but it feels soulful.
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Christmas & Chill Is the Real Fan Favorite
If you ask a casual listener about her holiday music, they’ll say "Santa Tell Me." If you ask a stan, they will immediately scream "Christmas & Chill."
This EP is legendary. It was recorded in just four days at her home studio in Hollywood. Four days! Can you imagine? Most people can’t even decide on a gift list in four days, and she’s out here making a cult-classic R&B project.
It dropped in 2015 and honestly, it’s the "cool" Christmas album. It trades the cheesy sleigh bells for trap beats and 808s. It’s definitely more "Netflix and chill" than "Milk and cookies," despite the song "Wit It This Christmas" literally having the subtitle "Milk & Cookies."
- Wit It This Christmas: Flirty, sassy, and very much not for the family dinner.
- December: A smooth R&B jam that she famously messed up the lyrics to during a 2016 Jingle Ball performance (we still love her for it).
- Winter Things: This one is weirdly genius. It’s a tropical-sounding song with a ukulele, but it’s about doing "winter things" while living in a warm climate. It’s basically the anthem for everyone in LA or Florida trying to pretend it's snowing.
The EP didn't actually do massive numbers when it first launched. It peaked at 34 on the Billboard 200. But then the Sweetener World Tour happened. She added a holiday medley to the setlist, and suddenly, everyone was obsessed. It’s now widely considered her best body of work by her most dedicated fans.
The Early Days: Christmas Kisses
Before she was the "Main Pop Girl," she gave us Christmas Kisses in 2013. This was the transition era. She was moving away from the Nickelodeon "Cat Valentine" image and into the "Babyface" produced R&B world.
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The covers on here are solid. Her version of "Last Christmas" adds a whole new bridge that makes the song actually sound like hers. But "Snow in California" is the sleeper hit. It’s a ballad where she’s literally begging for snow in Los Angeles so her person can’t fly out and leave her. It’s peak 2013 Ariana—big vocals, lots of "yuhs," and that classic whistle tone energy.
Then there’s the "Santa Baby" cover with Liz Gillies. If you grew up on Victorious, this was everything. Their harmonies are untouchable. It feels less like a corporate cover and more like two friends having fun in the booth.
The Vocal Powerhouse Duets
You can't talk about christmas music ariana grande without mentioning her collaborations. She doesn't just show up; she out-sings almost everyone in the room.
Santa, Can’t You Hear Me (with Kelly Clarkson)
This song is a beast. Released in 2021 on Kelly’s When Christmas Comes Around... album, it’s a big-band, powerhouse anthem. It’s not a background song. You cannot ignore this song. The way their voices blend—Kelly’s grit and Ari’s airy high notes—is a masterclass. By 2025, this had become a staple for anyone who likes their Christmas music with a side of vocal acrobatics.
Oh Santa! (with Mariah Carey and Jennifer Hudson)
The moment the world saw the three of them together, the internet nearly collapsed. Seeing Ariana do the whistle-tone harmony with Mariah was like a passing of the torch. It was a "pinch me" moment for Ari, who has been compared to Mariah since she was 15.
Why She’s the Gen Z Christmas Queen
A lot of people ask why her holiday stuff sticks when other pop stars' Christmas albums disappear after one year.
It’s the vibe.
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Most Christmas music feels like it’s trying to sell you a Hallmark card. Ariana’s stuff feels like a diary entry or a party. She isn't afraid to be a little bit "naughty" (shoutout to the explicit "naughty version" of "Santa Tell Me" that appeared on some re-releases). She makes holiday music for people who don't necessarily want to listen to "Silent Night" for the millionth time.
She also keeps it fresh. Every few years, she reissues something or adds a remix. In 2023, she officially added "Santa Tell Me" to the Christmas & Chill streaming tracklist, which gave the EP another huge boost.
How to Build the Perfect Ariana Holiday Experience
If you're looking to actually dive into the christmas music ariana grande has to offer, don't just hit "shuffle" on a random playlist. There’s a better way to do it.
The "Vibe" Order:
- Start with Christmas Kisses for the nostalgic, 1950s-meets-R&B feel while you're decorating.
- Switch to "Santa, Can't You Hear Me" and "Oh Santa!" when you're hyped up and need to scream-sing.
- End the night with Christmas & Chill. Seriously. Put it on loop. It’s only 13 minutes long, so you’ll probably listen to it four times before you even notice.
Key Tracks You Might Have Missed:
- Love Is Everything: A massive gospel-style pop song from her first EP that often gets overlooked.
- Snow in California: The best "non-hit" in her entire holiday discography.
- Wit It This Christmas: Because the "milk and cookies" line is iconic.
Instead of just waiting for the radio to play the same three songs, check out her full EPs on vinyl if you can find them. The Christmas & Chill vinyl has become a collector's item for a reason—the artwork and the flow of the songs just hit different on a record player. If you're a streamer, create a custom "Arianamas" folder and include the live versions from the Sweetener tour. They have a raw energy that the studio tracks sometimes miss.
Whatever you do, make sure you actually listen to the lyrics on "Winter Things." It’s the ultimate reminder that you don't need a blizzard to have a "cold" Christmas—you just need the right playlist.