Stray Kids Release Holiday Single Album ‘Christmas EveL’
On Nov. 29, the K-pop group Stray Kids released a single album called Christmas EveL. The single album consists of four tracks and combines Christmas music with pop and hip-hop sounds. The K-pop group released Christmas EveL as a thank-you gift for their fans, STAY.
Why did Stray Kids release a holiday album?
Stray Kids debuted with JYP Entertainment in 2017. The band has eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N.
On Aug. 23, the K-pop group released their second studio album, NOEASY. The album sold over 1.1 million units, becoming Stray Kids’ first album to do so.
NOEASY is also the first album ever released by artists with JYP Entertainment to reach this accomplishment, surpassing the success of JYP Entertainment groups GOT7, TWICE, and ITZY.
Following the success of NOEASY, Stray Kids released Christmas EveL as a thank-you gift for their fandom. The single album is also part of the band’s Season Song project, which they set out to accomplish in their STEP OUT 2021 video.
‘Christmas EveL’ has four songs
As a single album, Christmas EveL features the song “Christmas EveL” and three additional tracks: “24 to 25,” “Winter Falls,” and “Domino (English Version).”
The song “Christmas EveL” was written and produced by 3RACHA, a sub-unit of Stray Kids members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han. With the song, the K-pop group brings a unique hip-hop sound to traditional holiday music.
NME gave the single album four stars in a review, writing:
“But when Stray Kids announced their festive single album ‘Christmas EveL’, it raised an interesting question – how does one of K-pop’s most inventive groups keep their creative streak intact while crafting something fitting for their fans to listen to as they count down to December 25?
The answer is obvious as soon as the opening track ‘Christmas EveL’ begins – subvert expectations and do things, as always, their own way. Sure, it still references the kind of things you’d bet money on featuring in a Christmas song, but it swaps happiness for Grinch-like scorn and traditional festive sounds for funky hip-hop grooves.”
Along with the album, a music video for the song “Christmas EveL” was released on Nov. 29. A music video for “Winter Falls” dropped on Nov. 30.
‘Christmas EveL’ shows the talent of Stray Kids
While “Christmas EveL” encapsulates the adventurous and evolutionary sound of the K-pop group, the remaining songs on the single album show the band’s range.
The name “24 to 25” references the time in which Dec. 24th becomes Dec. 25th, and Stray Kids share their desire to spend that time together. Bang Chan wrote the lyrics for “24 to 25” and co-produced the track, and “24 to 25” features a cozy and warm atmosphere. The song shows that STAY are always on the members’ minds with lyrics like “STAY for Christmas.”
“Winter Falls” is the third track on Christmas EveL and follows the complex thoughts one has as another year ends while a new one is on the horizon. Han of Stray Kids wrote and co-produced the song.
The last song on the album is an English-language version of the song “Domino,” a B-side from NOEASY. It features lyrics by Stray Kids’ Bang Chan, Felix, Han, and Changbin, and the rapper Junoflo.
Christmas EveL is out now.
