Okay, real talk: every December we get the same 20 Christmas songs on repeat, right? Mariah, Michael Bublé, Wham!… love them, but sometimes you just want something that feels like it was beamed down from a glittery spaceship. Enter Shayan Regan with his brand-new cover of Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” – reimagined as a shimmering synthpop / pop rock journey through the stars. If you thought the original was cheerful, wait until you hear this zero-gravity glow-up.
Shayan took Macca’s 1979 classic (you know, the one with the infamous “ding dong ding dong” hook that somehow lives rent-free in all our heads) and launched it straight into orbit. We’re talking airy, swirling synths, cosmic pads that feel like auroras, and percussion that floats like snowflakes in space. The warmth and nostalgia are still there – that unmistakable holiday hug – but now it’s wrapped in this dreamy, atmospheric blanket that makes you feel like you’re sipping hot cocoa on the International Space Station. It’s festive, it’s immersive, and it’s honestly the freshest Christmas cover I’ve heard in years.
This track is pulled straight from the sonic universe of Shayan’s space-themed album (yes, the man is out here building entire galaxies in the studio), so if you’ve been spinning his previous releases, you’ll recognize that signature blend of vintage melancholy and modern daydream. For the uninitiated: Shayan Regan is the kind of independent artist who started recording on his phone – just voice, guitar, raw feeling – and somehow turned that DIY magic into a debut album (A Poison With An Aftertaste) that quietly racked up over 3 million streams, cracked the Top 25 on Apple Music, and landed on Spotify’s Fresh Finds and Apple’s Breaking Indie playlists. Critics have thrown around beautiful comparisons – early Bon Iver, Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake, Damien Rice, even a touch of Ed Sheeran and James Arthur – but the truth is Shayan has carved out a lane that’s 100% his own: poetic, transparent, and emotionally raw in the best way.
And now he’s blessing us with holiday music that doesn’t feel like anything else on the market right now. In a season where synthwave and retro-futuristic sounds are having a massive moment (think The Midnight, Gunship, or even The Weeknd’s Dawn FM era), Shayan’s interstellar take on “Wonderful Christmastime” slides perfectly into that trend while still keeping the song recognizable enough to sing along after one eggnog.
Whether you’re building a “space christmas” playlist, a “cozy indie holiday” vibe, or you just need something that sparkles a little brighter than the usual suspects, this cover deserves a spot. It’s familiar enough to feel comforting, fresh enough to turn heads, and dreamy enough to make you stare at the fairy lights a little longer.
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So go hit play on Shayan Regan’s “Wonderful Christmastime” cover, let it float you into the stratosphere, and tell me in the comments: what’s the wildest Christmas cover you’ve ever heard? I need to know I’m not alone in wanting more synth-soaked holiday bangers.
Happy holidays, friends – may your playlists be merry, bright, and a little cosmic this year.
