Michael Bublé raised the festive spirits high in 2011, hosting his third annual TV Christmas Special, “Home For Christmas,” featuring special performances from a host of celebrity guests. But midway through his spectacular cover of the festive hit “White Christmas,” Michael invited ex-Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland to the stage, their five million-times-viewed duet swiftly becoming one of the most majestic versions of the song ever to make its way onto YouTube.
Watch their performance below.
The New York a cappella group Naturally 7 open this cover, their bassline as skulky and silky as the Pink Panther theme tune, before vintage-styled Disney backing harmonies add a snowy dash of pizazz to their backing track. Their energy is infectious as Michael soon realizes, smiling back at them through the first verses of his stylistically tentative rendition, rich in jazz, blues, and old-school Sinatra vibes, and nearly being moved to laughter.
When his performance already seems at the top of its game, Michael introduces Kelly Rowland, who swans on stage with a whimsical melody in a snow-white feathered dress and black platform heels, her bright liquid voice the perfect antidote to Michael’s deep tones.
Their voices seem absolutely made to sing together, making it no surprise the pair has duetted before on a cover of The Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love?” Yet, more than ten years on, fans are still left begging for an official recording of “White Christmas”.
As the big band brass section takes the lead of the instrumental, the pair whip out some retro dance floor moves in a timelessly festive, feel-good moment, before the pair reharmonize on the final verses. They laugh throughout the song and clearly love every moment of this upbeat and super sweet performance, keeping every ounce of respect for each other’s voices and star power intact and vibrant, making this clip even more heartwarming for Music Man fans.
Fans have been blown away by Kelly and Michael’s overflowing musical chemistry, while traditional haters of the overplayed Christmas tune have also been won over by this flawless performance. These two are both seasoned seasonal hitmakers, too: Michael Bublé’s iconic and notorious 2011 “Christmas” album made him the soundtrack of many modern festivities, while the Destiny’s Child album, “8 Days Of Christmas” broke Kelly into Christmas music back in 2001.
Other stars appearing on Michael Bublé’s Home For Christmas special that same year included Gary Barlow, who performed the Take That hits “Home” and “Rule The World” with the show host, bookended by a chat with Dawn French and a comedy cooking segment baking gingerbread men with TV chef Gino D’Acampo.