Sufjan Stevens is getting into the holiday spirit early, and this year he’s bringing something new to the table. The singer-songwriter has shared “On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better),” his first newly written, produced, and performed Christmas song in nearly 15 years. The track arrives ahead of Worst Christmas Ever!, a compilation of his extensive holiday catalog due out Friday, November 6th, via Asthmatic Kitty Records.
Rather than celebrating the usual holiday cheer, “On This Christmas” finds Stevens reflecting on past mistakes and asking for forgiveness. “On this Christmas, I ask forgiveness for all the funny things I’ve said and done,” he sings.
“I love the idea of a Christmas apology,” Stevens said. “A holiday characterized by the giving and receiving of gifts might be made even better by the giving and receiving of forgiveness.” He continued, “‘I’m sorry’ is the ultimate ice-breaker in a moment of conflict, contention, and misunderstanding.” Stevens described the song as a prayer for greater understanding, adding, “I believe the world will find its way.”
The single also comes with a new music video created by Stevens, Michael O’Neal, and Cubby Graham, featuring 6,000 still images hand-painted by the trio and Hannah Cohen. Watch it below.
Stevens’ relationship with Christmas music goes back to 2001, when he began recording holiday songs as gifts for friends and family. What started as a modest seasonal tradition eventually grew into more than 100 recordings, collected across 2006’s Songs for Christmas and 2012’s Silver & Gold. Together, the two box sets contain nearly five hours of music, ranging from traditional carols to Stevens’ own often melancholy, occasionally absurd takes on the season.
Worst Christmas Ever! boils down that collection of work into 15 tracks, including fan favorites “Sister Winter,” “Put the Lights on the Tree,” “Christmas in the Room,” and “That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!” The original recordings featured contributions from a wide circle of collaborators, including The National’s Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry, and Rosie Thomas.
Listen to “On This Christmas (It Only Gets Better)” below, and pre-order Worst Christmas Ever! ahead of its November 6th release.
In other news, Stevens recently made his first live appearance in over eight years, joining Meg Lui on piano during her show at Tempo in Kingston, New York, on September 25th. In 2023, Stevens revealed that he had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare and potentially life-threatening immune disorder that results in severe muscle weakness.
