Lee Taylor "St. Nick at Christmastime" video premiere
4 h
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Music News is proud to host the exclusive world premiere of "St. Nick at Christmastime" (They/Them) by Lee Taylor.
Most new Christmas songs ask what Santa’s bringing. Lee Taylor asks what kind of person he actually is, and the answer is the partner everyone deserves: someone who gives everything and asks for nothing back. Taylor wrote “St. Nick at Christmastime” during a hard stretch in a Brooklyn one-bedroom, searching for what real generosity looks like. Taylor found St. Nicholas of Myra, the fourth-century bishop who gave his wealth away in secret. “We often venerate men who have everything and give nothing back,” Taylor says. “This song is for the people who are quietly taking care of society’s most vulnerable.”
Taylor’s voice has drawn comparisons to Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday from the Memphis Commercial Appeal, and the Canberra Times said it could “cut diamonds.” William Bell, the Stax legend whose holiday classic helped inspire the track, called Taylor “a voice to watch.” Taylor was mentored in Memphis by blues great Di Anne Price and Lester Snell, Isaac Hayes’ former musical director, and has since performed at The Blue Note and Lincoln Center, and sung with the Resistance Revival Chorus at Carnegie Hall and on The Tonight Show. Next up is Joy in an Ugly World, a jazz album due in spring 2027.
“St. Nick at Christmastime” is a soul song built for the dance floor, not the fireplace. Taylor wrote it on an upright piano gifted by trombonist Ray Mason, who played on their debut Wild Woman. They took their cues from Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and William Bell’s “Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday,” then cut it analog at V&M Recording in Brooklyn with Grammy-nominated co-producer Vincent Chiarito (Jalen Ngonda, Black Pumas, Kali Uchis). The band backs it up: guitarist Alexander Chakour (Charles Bradley, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings) and saxophonist Mike Buckley, currently on tour with JAY-Z. Horns and tight drums come in from bar one. Think Daptone grit meets the Jackson 5 Christmas Album.
The video keeps things close to home. Director Michelle Cameron shot it entirely in Taylor’s Brooklyn apartment, with Christmas decorations up and natural light pouring through the windows. Taylor sings straight to the camera, then bakes cookies with their daughter. There’s no spectacle, just a parent and a kid in a kitchen, which is the whole point of the song.
The generosity goes beyond the lyrics. St. Jude cured the child of one of Taylor’s close friends, and Taylor saw firsthand what the family went through during his treatment.100% of streaming royalties go to St. Jude. Taylor will post screenshots of the royalty statements and the donations so fans can see exactly where the money went. It’s part of Taylor’s fundraising with Team Strong as Gold, which raised more than $35,000 last year and culminates at St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend on December 5. The giving continues through 2027.
