This holiday season, Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, and rising star Chappell Roan have come together for A Carpool Karaoke Christmas, a festival special debuting on Apple TV+. The special sees the global icons join Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on a musical road trip, travelling from Tokyo, Missouri, and the lively streets of Los Angeles.
The trio dazzles with performances of beloved holiday classics that capture the spirit of the season alongside their hits, blending festive cheer with a modern twist for an unforgettable Christmas celebration.
In a brief prologue, Carpool Karaoke mainstay James Corden passes the torch (and the car keys) to Zane Lowe, who serves as host and duet partner for all three segments of the hour-long holiday special. Corden’s handover comes via a phone call from the UK.
Lowe’s driving duties take him from Roan’s Missouri hometown to Lipa’s pre-gig Tokyo and Gaga’s Los Angeles en route to a studio session. The final “drive” culminates in Lowe joining Gaga’s band on electric guitar for a studio recording of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” also released as a standalone audio track.
Gaga, the only one of the trio with her own Christmas song, sets up the performance by telling Lowe she prefers “wholesome and sentimental” holiday music—”a song that the whole family can get together and sing.”
The setup makes the subsequent performance of her 2008 track “Christmas Tree” all the more amusing. The song’s playful blend of “Deck the Halls” with lines like “underneath the mistletoe, everybody knows we will take off our clothes” and “my Christmas tree’s delicious” creates a humorous juxtaposition.
