Santa, Can't You Hear Me

"Santa, Can't You Hear Me"
Single by Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande
from the album When Christmas Comes Around...
ReleasedDecember 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
RecordedAugust 26, 2021
Studio
  • Glenwood Place Studios (Burbank, CA)[1]
  • The Listening Station (Pasadena, CA)[1]
  • The Vibe Room (Universal City, CA)[1]
Genre
Length4:02
LabelAtlantic
Songwriters
ProducerJason Halbert
Kelly Clarkson singles chronology
"9 to 5[2]"
(2022) 		"Santa, Can't You Hear Me"
(2022) 		"Mine" / "Me"
(2023)
Ariana Grande singles chronology
"It Was a... (Masked Christmas)"
(2021) 		"Santa, Can't You Hear Me"
(2022) 		"Die for You" (remix)
(2023)

"Santa, Can't You Hear Me" is a duet by American singers Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande. It is the second single from Clarkson's ninth studio album and second Christmas album, When Christmas Comes Around... (2021). The song was written by Clarkson with Aben Eubanks, with the song's track recording was produced by Jason Halbert.[3]

Release and reception

"Santa, Can't You Hear Me" was written by Clarkson with Aben Eubanks and produced by Jason Halbert.[4] Following filming the 21st season of the American reality television series The Voice, Clarkson invited Grande to record the track with her.[5] "Santa, Can't You Hear Me" was released by Atlantic Records on October 15, 2021, the day of the album's release.[6] An uptempo big band pop Christmas anthem, the song lyrics sing of an appeal to Santa Claus. Instead of material gifts, the singers ask for answers on how they can achieve their outmost desire for Christmas, which is love.[7][8][9]

Reception

Upon its release, Randee Dawn of Today remarked that the song is exactly what one might expect from the singers, writing that it "bounces off each other with full-throated harmonies and high notes alike" and ends with a "big band-sounding flourish that will leave one's heart pounding for more.[8] Reviewing the album for Vulture, Justin Curto highlighted the track as sounding as big as one would expect it to be.[10]

In her review of the track on iHeartRadio, Ariel King wrote that the song proves both the singers' talent and what makes them such "incredible powerhouses" is how they perfectly blend their vocals for "a captivating listen".[11] A.D. Amorosi of Variety wrote that the live version of the song sounds "more lustrous than its studio version", thanks to Clarkson "edgy alto" and Grande "flitting, breezy voice for a surprisingly (for holiday music) improvisational vibe".[12]

Glamour UK listed the song as one of the "Best Christmas Songs Ever".[13] Cosmopolitan listed the song on the best "50 Modern Christmas Songs".[14]

Live performances

On December 1, 2021, the two singers performed the song during Clarkson's When Christmas Comes Around Christmas special which premiered on NBC as promotion for the album.[15][16]

On December 13, 2022, Clarkson performed the song solo on the twenty-second season finale of The Voice.[17] On December 15, 2022, Clarkson performed the song solo on The Kelly Clarkson Show.[18] On November 30, 2023, Clarkson performed the song solo at the Rockefeller Centre Tree Lighting in New York City, broadcast on NBC.

Music video

A music video was expected to be released.

Personnel

Credits lifted from When Christmas Comes Around... liner notes[1]

  • Vocals – Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande
  • Background vocals – Jessi Collins, Nayanna Holey, Tiffany Palmer, Brandon Winbush
  • Producer, keyboards, B3, programming – Jason Halbert
  • Engineers – John Hanes, Robert Venable, Tom Peltier, John DeNosky
  • Mastering engineer – Chris Gehringer
  • Bass – Kyle Whalum
  • Drums – Lester Estelle
  • Guitars – Aben Eubanks, Jaco Caraco, Luke Sullivant
  • Mixer – Serban Ghenea
  • Percussion – Ron Sorbo
  • Programming (additional) – Rachel Or
  • Orchestra arranger and conductor – Joseph Trapanese
  • Orchestra contractor – Gina Zimmitti, Witney Martin
  • Saxophone – Jesse McGinty
  • Trumpet – Mike Cordone, Ray Montiero
  • Trombone – Garrett Smith

Charts

Chart performance for "Santa, Can't You Hear Me"
Chart (2022–2025) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[19] 38
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[20] 30
Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[21] 37
Canada AC (Billboard)[22] 8
Croatia International Airplay (Top lista)[23] 87
Estonia Airplay (TopHit)[24] 36
Germany (GfK)[25] 26
Global 200 (Billboard)[26] 28
Greece International (IFPI)[27] 26
Ireland (IRMA)[28] 13
Italy (FIMI)[29] 91
Lithuania (AGATA)[30] 59
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] 31
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[32] 35
Norway (IFPI Norge)[33] 87
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[34] 77
Portugal (AFP)[35] 74
South Korea (Gaon)[36] 165
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[37] 98
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] 26
UK Singles (OCC)[39] 23
Ukraine Airplay (TopHit)[40] 70
US Billboard Hot 100[41] 31
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[42] 11
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[43] 28

Certifications

Certifications for "Santa, Can't You Hear Me"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[44] Gold 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

List of release dates, showing region, release format, catalog, and label
Region Date Format(s) Version Label Ref.
Various October 15, 2021 Streaming Original Atlantic [46]
December 2, 2022
Live [47]
December 9, 2022
Original [48][49][50]
Italy December 12, 2025 Radio airplay Warner [51]

References

  1. ^ a b c d When Christmas Comes Around... (booklet). Kelly Clarkson. Atlantic Records. 2021. 864083-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ "Dolly Parton and Kelly Clarkson Drop New Version of Classic Hit '9 to 5'". September 9, 2022.
  3. ^ Legaspi, Althea (October 15, 2021). "Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande Capture Holiday Spirit in 'Santa, Can't You Hear Me'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  4. ^ Mamo, Heran (October 15, 2021). "Kelly Clarkson's 'When Christmas Comes Around...' Album Arrives With Festive Ariana Grande Duet: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  5. ^ Kyle, Meredith (September 30, 2021). "Kelly Clarkson And Ariana Grande Look Back At Their 2013 Twitter Exchange And Preview Christmas Duet". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  6. ^ Minsker, Evan (October 15, 2021). "Ariana Grande Joins Kelly Clarkson for New Christmas Song "Santa, Can't You Hear Me": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  7. ^ Melo, Mikael (October 15, 2021). "New Music Friday: Adele, Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson, Young Thug & More". CFPL-FM. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Dawn, Randee (October 19, 2021). "Christmas came early! Listen to Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande's new song". Today. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  9. ^ Wurtz, Gina (October 18, 2021). "The Voice: Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande Team Up For Christmas Duet". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  10. ^ Curto, Justin (October 15, 2021). "Kelly Clarkson Declares It's Christmastime With When Christmas Comes Around..." Vulture. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  11. ^ King, Ariel (October 15, 2021). "Christmas Comes Early With Kelly Clarkson And Ariana Grande's New Single". iHeartRadio. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  12. ^ Amorosi, A. D. (December 15, 2023). "All I Want for Christmas Is New (Music): Holiday Refreshments From Alicia Keys, Phoebe Bridgers, Harry Connick Jr., David Byrne and More". Variety. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  13. ^ Ward, Fiona (December 25, 2023). "The best (and worst) Christmas songs of all time". Glamour UK. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  14. ^ Beck, Lia (October 25, 2023). "These Are the Best 50 Modern Christmas Songs to Add to Your Holiday Playlist". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  15. ^ Thaadeus, Shearmen (December 2, 2021). ""Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around" ratings". Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  16. ^ Dwortz, Mallory (December 1, 2021). "How to Watch "Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around"". MLive. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  17. ^ Kyle, Meredith B. (December 7, 2022). "Kelly Clarkson, Maluma, Kane Brown and More to Perform on 'The Voice' Season 22 Finale". Entertainment Tonight. CBS Studios Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc.
  18. ^ Rowley, Glenn (December 15, 2022). "Kelly Clarkson Makes a Plea to Santa With Her Latest Christmas Single for 'Kellyoke'". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  19. ^ "Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande – Santa, Can't You Hear Me". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
  20. ^ "Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande – Santa, Can't You Hear Me" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  21. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  22. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  23. ^ "Airplay Radio Chart Top100 – 29. prosinca 2025". HRT. December 29, 2025. Archived from the original on December 31, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  24. ^ "Top Radio Hits Estonia Weekly Chart". TopHit. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  25. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved January 1, 2025.
  26. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  27. ^ "Official IFPI Charts − Digital Singles Chart (International) − Εβδομάδα: 52/2025" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on December 31, 2025. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  28. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart on 29/12/2023 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  29. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 52" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  30. ^ "2023 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  31. ^ "Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande – Santa, Can't You Hear Me" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  32. ^ "Official Top 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. December 26, 2025. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  33. ^ "Singel 2025 uke 52". IFPI Norge. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  34. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 19.12.2025–25.12.2025.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved January 1, 2026.
  35. ^ "Top 200 Singles Semana 52 de 2025" (PDF) (in European Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. p. 8. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  36. ^ "Digital Chart – Week 52 of 2021". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  37. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 52, 2025" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  38. ^ "Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande – Santa, Can't You Hear Me". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  39. ^ "Official Singles Chart on 8/12/2023 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  40. ^ "Top Radio Hits Ukraine Weekly Chart". TopHit. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  41. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  42. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  43. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
  44. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande – Santa Can't You Hear Me". Radioscope. Retrieved November 28, 2025. Type Santa Can't You Hear Me in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  45. ^ "British single certifications – Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande – Santa Can't You Hear Me". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 14, 2025. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Santa Can't You Hear Me Kelly Clarkson & Ariana Grande in the "Search:" field.
  46. ^ "Santa, Can't You Hear Me by Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande". Spotify. October 15, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  47. ^ Dailey, Hannah (December 2, 2022). "Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson Drop 'Santa, Can't You Hear Me' Live Version – Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  48. ^ "Santa, Can't You Hear Me (feat. Ariana Grande) Cassette | Kelly Clarkson Official Store". kellyclarksonmerch.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022.
  49. ^ "Santa, Can't You Hear Me (feat. Ariana Grande) CD | Kelly Clarkson Official Store". kellyclarksonmerch.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2022.
  50. ^ "Santa, Can't You Hear Me (feat. Ariana Grande) Flexi Disc | Kelly Clarkson Official Store". kellyclarksonmerch.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2022.
  51. ^ Clarkson, Kelly; Grande, Ariana (December 12, 2025). "Santa, Can't You Hear Me - Kelly Clarkson, Ariana Grande | Scheda brano | EarOne" (Press release) (in Italian). EarOne. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
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