Mariah Carey’s Christmas show is back on the road: Here’s what indie artists can learn
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Mariah Carey announces the return of her holiday bars, serving as a perfect reminder for independent artists to start gearing up for the festive season.
Mariah Carey’s Holiday Bars are back
The self-proclaimed Queen of Christmas is officially clocking in for this year’s festivities. Mariah Carey is teaming up once again with Bucket Listers to bring back her Holiday Bar pop-ups. The festive experience opens on November 13, returning to New York and expanding to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Miami for the first time.
What does the experience bring?
Each venue promises a fully immersed Mariah Carey experience, with wall-to-wall decorations, themed cocktails, and album backdrop recreations for photo opportunities. Last year, Mariah partnered with Virgin Hotels for similar pop-ups, and went on a 20-city Christmas tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her iconic track ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’.
This time around, she’s taking things up a notch with exclusive merch, vinyl editions of her holiday albums, and even her latest LP ‘Here For It All’ available at the bars.
A strategic move
It all makes perfect sense too. Mariah Carey keeps reaching new heights every year. In 2024, ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ became the first Christmas song to surpass two billion Spotify streams, breaking the major milestone three decades after its release. The song also racked up 24.8 million streams in a single day on December 24 last year, becoming the third most-streamed track in a day in Spotify history.
Gearing up for the festive season
Mariah Carey isn’t the only one getting festive-ready early. Earlier this month, Spotify dropped its Holiday Singles Collection featuring five new covers of seasonal favorites.
For independent artists, let this serve as a reminder. The industry is already shifting into Christmas mode, and holiday music doesn’t just belong to Mariah. Covering a well-known track or dropping an original festive release can be one of the most effective ways to reach new listeners. People are already crafting their seasonal playlists, and your song could end up on one of them.
Planning a Christmas release takes time from recording to release to promotion. Getting started now ensures your music is ready to drop right as the holiday buzz begins. Whether it’s an acoustic spin on an upbeat classic or a fresh pop take on a traditional carol, festive releases can showcase your creativity while boosting your streams and followers.
So, as Mariah Carey switches her Christmas machine back on, take it as a sign. It’s time to start planning your own seasonal moment.