UMI
IS READY FOR
“THIS CHRISTMAS”
DELIVERS ACOUSTIC RENDITION
OF DONNY HATHAWAY CLASSIC
WATCH + STREAM
AVAILABLE NOW
(Los Angeles, CA — Nov. 12)
UMI, the singer-songwriter whose recent momentum has placed her at the epicenter of alt-R&B’s incoming wave, has kickstarted the holiday season with her new, acoustic rendition of the Christmas carol “This Christmas,” available now. UMI’s spin on the familiar classic comes with its official music video, starring UMI and her friends illuminating the night sky with their holiday spirit.
Stream “This Christmas” here, and watch the music video today.
UMI’s mellifluous vocal texture and sharp-witted songwriting has positioned her as a young sensation. “This Christmas,” her remake of the 1970 Donny Hathaway song that has become a staple during the calendar year’s transition from fall fits to tree lightings, is UMI’s latest showcase of her disarming abilities. As she and her loved ones prance around a Christmas tree to envy, UMI and her makeshift microphone—apropos of her career trajectory, it’s a shining star—supply the scene abundantly with holiday spirit on the acoustic number. UMI’s voice, powered by its clarity and range, is the other star of the show.
Considering UMI’s 2025, there’s a clear reason for the season. Her heralded sophomore album, People Stories, released in August to widespread acclaim. She earned ‘Rookie of the Month’ honors from Billboard, which dubbed the album a “globally resonant healing experience” just months after UMI formally announced her new deal with Epic Records with the 6lack collab, “Hard Truths.”
UMI, a native of Seattle and a mainstay on next-to-blow R&B and Pop lists, admitted recently that her fresh new musical era is a result of renewed dedication to her craft, and the literal act of growing older. “This is the first time I’ve made a project with a very clear destination and a deep arrival to myself,” she said to Melodic Music this summer. “I think it’s probably ‘cause my frontal lobe developed, I really think it’s that simple. So, yes, it’s a new era that marks an embodiment of my femininity and embodiment of my power.”
As she gears to charge into 2026 with this wind in her sails, a moment of gratitude from UMI. Stream and watch “This Christmas” today.
(credit: Kevin Sinclair)
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