Bold new Christmas carol – and new album from Sofia Talvik

This isn’t your average Christmas single — it’s a reminder that art has a place in resistance, even in December.

Amid the glitter and nostalgia of holiday music, Swedish artist Sofia Talvik offers something radically different — and deeply needed — this season.

Her new single, “Let Peace Be the Song,” is a bold and haunting Christmas track that throws off the sugarcoating to confront our modern crises: systemic injustice, and the emotional dissonance of trying to find hope in a fractured world. The song challenges the listener to reckon with the realities that many face during the holiday season — and calls for truth, justice, and peace, not presents. It’s raw, poetic, and unsettling — and that’s the point.

In a musical landscape where holiday releases often offer escapism, “Let Peace Be the Song” stands as a counterpoint: a protest carol that refuses to look away. The refrain pleads for a different world:
“Let peace be the song that we all sing / Let truth be the present that you bring.”

The new album, Wrapped in Paper (A Christmas Album), features three brand-new tracks:

• Let Peace be the Song – The final original Christmas single; intimate and direct.
• Silent Night – A bold open-chord, bluegrass-inspired reinterpretation with soaring violins.
• Merry Christmas, Adios, So Long – A short, poignant farewell to her Christmas tradition, marking the end of an era while also taking an open stance against AI-generated, non-original art and music.

The album also compiles all of Sofia’s Christmas singles since 2018, offering a rich palette of seasonal moods—from dreamy and folky to bright and full-band. Whether you’re curating reflective winter programming or searching for standout originals, this album provides a diverse array of options.

Wrapped in Paper (A Christmas Album) – Sofia Talvik

1. Let Peace be the Song (02:56) – An acoustic protest song set at Christmastime. Stripped down to only vocals and guitar, it embodies true folk simplicity.
2. AT Christmas (04:08) – A true story about Sofia’s friend Ben, who nearly died in a snowstorm on the Appalachian Trail. Uptempo yet folky, the track features beautiful accordion and guitar arrangements.
3. Alone for Christmas (03:12) – A waltz carried by jazzy guitars and shimmering cellos, capturing the ache of missing loved ones during the holidays.
4. Silent Night (03:30) – A bold and distinctive interpretation of the classic, featuring open-tuning guitar and soaring violins.
5. Christmas Train (03:32) – A modern, uptempo take on the Krampus story, with a full-band arrangement that sweeps listeners into a dark, cinematic ride.
6. Wrapped in Paper (03:21) – The album’s title track, an acoustic and heartfelt reflection on love as the greatest gift. Pedal steel and gentle guitar set a warm, intimate tone.
7. Poem at Year’s End (03:50) – A poetic journey from autumn into winter, with lush cello harmonies and bright horns evoking the spirit of 1960s folk, reminiscent of Nick Drake.
8. A Memory of Snow (03:36) – A bilingual track with English and Swedish lyrics, blending the feel of Irish traditionals with a modern folk sensibility.
9. Snowman (04:28) – Despite its dark storyline, the jazzy acoustic guitar, rich cello, and driving beat lend the track an appealing pop-jazz character.
10. This Mess We’re In (03:26) – A doomsday-themed Christmas song with expansive dream-folk production, featuring five different guitars, a banjo, and drums recorded in New Orleans by Marc Pagani.
11. Jul Jul, Strålande Jul, Strahlende Zeit (Glorious Christmas) (03:15) – A traditional piece from 1920, performed acoustically with guitar and vocals, and sung in both Swedish and German.
12. Merry Christmas, Adios, So Long (01:54) – A brief and poignant farewell to Sofia’s tradition of writing Christmas songs. In a world where AI can generate instant music, this fully human-performed track stands as a gentle protest and a celebration of real, handmade art. With its orchestral violins and emotional tone, it carries a touch of Disney-like nostalgia.

Artist Website: https://sofiatalvik.com
Album & Music: https://music.sofiatalvik.com