HODA Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager surprised their fans when they released a Christmas song late last month – and now the man who helped bring the catchy track to life has revealed what the stars are really like when the cameras aren’t rolling.
The Today with Hoda & Jenna co-hosts debuted their holiday single, A Carefree Christmas, along with a music video on their morning show on November 29.
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Last month Hoda Kotb & Jenna Bush Hager recorded and released their festive track, A Carefree ChristmasCredit: Walter Randall
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The project was recorded and filmed at Lounge Studios in New York with the help of founder and CEO Walter RandallCredit: Instagram
Kotb, 59, and Bush Hager, 42, performed the festive hit with the help of their vocal coach and trained opera singer, Cheryl Porter.
The track was recorded, cut, and the video shot all in the space of a week at New York’s Lounge Studios, owner and founder Walter Randall told The U.S. Sun.
The studio has previously hosted a roster of A-list musical royalty including Ed Sheeran, Lin Manuel Miranda, Justin Bieber, and Solange Knowles.
Despite this being their first foray into the music world, Randall said he was impressed with Kotb and Bush Hager’s performance capabilities and expressed a wish to release more music with them in the future.
“It was amazing,” reflected Randall on the surprising collaboration.
“There was the professionalism you would expect working with a huge show like Today.
“I was with them the whole time throughout the recording process and the video shoot, and they, along with Cheryl, were absolutely amazing.
“Between Cheryl and Blue [producer Mikaelin “Blue” BlueSpruce] the recording was pretty much a breeze.
“I think I was more impressed when they shot the video. They were both just so down to earth and jumped right in, even though it was their first time recording a music video.
“Sometimes you never know what to expect with some celebrities, but they just really surprised me and seemed to have a great time doing it and trying something different.”
Randall described Kotb and Bush Hager as a warm, fun-loving pair.
“I’ve been around celebrities a lot, and it’s one thing when you see them on TV and a different thing in real life, but with them, they were exactly as they seemed,” he added.
“While the cameras weren’t rolling, it was the same friendly atmosphere as when they were on […] they were just talking and relaxing like I was a member of their team.”
BEHIND THE SCENES
The vast majority of the music video for A Carefree Christmas was improvised, Randall shared.
In it, the twosome and Porter are seen singing in dancing in festive shirts and Santa hats as they enjoy Christmas cookies, throw snowballs, and unwrap presents.
“It’s gonna be a carefree Christmas, stop and smell the pine,” they sing. “Boughs of holly make us jolly, we’re all feeling fine.”
Kotb and Bush Hager also pay homage to their hometowns with some of the festive looks they don in the short 90-second video.
Bush Hager, a Texas native, is seen at one stage sporting a red cowboy hat, and Kotb, from New Orleans, wears red and green Mardis Gras beads as the pair chime: “Make it Texas big! And NOLA fun!”
Recounting the video shoot, Randall said: “They were just sort of like laughing around and joking with everybody and performing into the microphone to the vocals – none of that was scripted.
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The track and video were finished and released within a weekCredit: Walter Randall
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Kotb and Bush Hager were exactly as they appear on screen, Randall saidCredit: Walter Randall
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The pair performed the festive hit with the help of their vocal coach and trained opera singer, Cheryl PorterCredit: YouTube/TODAY
“There’s a clip in the video we used which was of them walking into the studio for the first time, and we just happened to be recording them on our camera phones.
“They were in good spirits the whole time and they didn’t seem too flustered, even though this was likely their first time in a recording studio or booth.
“They definitely handled it like professionals. Well, obviously, they are professionals, they’re on TV every day – but they did a great job for first-time musicians.”
PUSHING FOR THE CHARTS
When the track first debuted on November 29, Kotb and Bush Hager encouraged their fans to stream the track and make their “Christmas dream” come true of making it chart this holiday season.
In just one day, the song appeared to make a splash, landing at number 7 on the iTunes chart.
It has since fallen off the charts but Randall – who “loves” the catchy jingle – is hoping for a late festive push.
“I love it, it sticks in your head and I’m not just saying that because I was a part of it,” he said. “When we were remixing the song we had some interns in and they were singing the song upstairs.
“It’s a fun song, it’s not meant to be anything serious where you’re reflecting on all these things that have happened in your life.
“It’s more just about the good times and enjoying the holidays – and trying to be as carefree as possible while doing so.
“Carefree is what the whole process felt like.”
Randall added that Kotb and Hager Bush have enough fans between them to make A Carefree Christmas the number-one track this year.
However, even if it charts at all he says he will still be very impressed.
“If this charts at all it will make me and them happy because such a small percentage of people who do this for a living ever hit the billboard charts.
“So if they can do that, I think that would be amazing.”
As for plans to collaborate on more music together in the future, Randall revealed: “Oh, yeah, I’m pretty sure that will happen.
“There’s nothing certain yet but I think everyone enjoyed the experience so much that they’re likely to give it another go sometime in the future.
“It’s just a matter of when.”
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When the track first debuted on November 29, the pair expressed their dream was for the song to chart this ChristmasCredit: YouTube/TODAY
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More music could be in the pipeline in the future, Randall said
