Rock Choir aim for Christmas Number 1 with Cash for Kids Wizzard charity cover I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

It's the season of goodwill and, over the year, many a charity single has claimed the Official Christmas Number 1 single trophy. From Band Aid's iconic Do They Know It's Christmas? to LadBaby's record-setting run of five festive chart-toppers in aid of The Trussell Trust, it's always heartwarming to see a flurry of tracks released for great causes on the Official Singles Chart.

Today we turn our attention to Rock Choir, formed of The Rock Choir Vocal Group and creator Caroline Redman Lusher, and their rendition of Wizzard's 1973 seasonal staple I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.

Rock Choir is the largest contemporary adult choir in the world, with over 33,000 members. Raising money for Cash for Kids' Mission Christmas appeal, the single will help children living in poverty this festive season.

With the song having already reached Number 5 on the Official Singles Downloads Chart, Number 8 on Official Singles Sales Chart and receiving the seal of approval from Wizzard's very own Roy Wood, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday enters the race as one of 2023's biggest charity contenders.

In the latest of our contender spotlight series, we catch up with Rock Choir's Caroline to talk the track's Christmas Number 1 chances.

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Hey, Caroline! How did you settle on I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday as your cover of choice?

I knew that it was 50 years since the song was released and as always, had been looking for a favourite upbeat and feel-good classic Christmas song to reinvent for Rock Choir.

We're at our busiest in November and December with radio, TV and hundreds of community events across the UK, so it’s important for us to perform the best festive repertoire to entertain our audiences. This song has been perfect for what I needed. It ticks all the boxes!

How does it feel to have the support of Wizzard's Roy Wood?

I’m thrilled! He’s a legend; a huge talent and highly-skilled songwriter. Roy and I have stayed in touch throughout the release and campaign. I was introduced to him in the summer when I was on tour and had various shows in the Midlands. I treated him to lunch and, in return, he gave me his blessing to release the song. I’m relieved he likes what we’ve done with it for Rock Choir, although I wasn’t able to persuade him to record the solo line with me!

Why is it so important for you to support Cash for Kids' Mission Christmas appeal?

Rock Choir supports hundreds of local and national charities every year. In fact, we’ve raised millions over the 18 years that Rock Choir has been in the community.

Cash for Kids is a wonderful charity and has a terrific team behind it. Their mission is to ensure that every underprivileged child wakes up to a gift on Christmas morning; and who wouldn’t want to support that objective?

I had a little boy during lockdown and the Rockies [the Rock Choir Members] sent hundreds of gifts to him, so I knew they would get behind Cash for Kids and want to do whatever they could to help. They are a very caring, loving and generous community of people.

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Congratulations on your Downloads and Singles Sales Chart success so far. You must be so proud...

Yes! I am incredibly proud and extremely grateful to everyone who has supported us and downloaded or streamed the single. The campaign has involved a lot of talent behind the scenes from start to finish, and I will never take any of them for granted.

Along with the media who have been amazing and given the song the attention it needed, we have all contributed to a successful project and one of great quality. One worthy, I hope, of being high in the charts alongside some of the greatest global artists also releasing songs at this highly-competitive time. Our song is being broadcast to a huge audience and the icing on the cake is the awareness that the whole project gives to Cash for Kids.

What would a Christmas Number 1 single mean to Rock Choir?

It would be a highly emotional moment. There would be tears, without a doubt!  It would be a wonderful gift to give to my team and everyone taking part in and connected to Rock Choir. Also a Christmas dream come true for the superb team at Cash for Kids who have been working round-the-clock for weeks now; gathering, wrapping and distributing gifts to look after all the children this Christmas.

How would you celebrate if Rock Choir managed it?

I’d get in my car, drive up the M40 to the Midlands, knock on Roy Wood’s door clutching a bottle of celebratory gin and tell him that, after 50 years, his song had finally got the number 1 position it always deserved!

I imagine we’d probably have a little cry together, then I’d force him to finally sing the solo line with me, give him a big kiss and then head home in time to celebrate with my little boy, Hamilton, and lovely husband Stuey who's had to to put up with all my Christmas-single chaos for the last two months!

MORE: Be the first to know who's leading the Official Christmas Number 1 single race

Lauren Baxter, Cash for Kids Partnerships Manager, adds: "We are thrilled to have been chosen as the beneficiary of the 2023 Rock Choir’s Christmas single! Rock Choir members from all over the UK are working tirelessly to raise as much as they can to ensure that no child goes without a gift on Christmas Day.

"In 2022, Cash for Kids Mission Christmas helped 270,728 children living in poverty, and with the help and support of wonderful organisations such as Rock Choir, we hope to make a difference to even more children this year. A huge thanks from all of us."

Wizzard founder Roy Wood says: "Congratulations to Caroline and Rock Choir on the success with my Christmas song! Hopefully, with the help of all you Rockies, we can all download this single and give it a push to where it belongs on the Official Singles Chart. Come on, you Rockies!"

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Rock Choir is out now via Rock Records Ltd, with all profits raised from the track donated to Bauer Media's Cash for Kids' Mission Christmas.

When will 2023's Official Christmas Number 1 single be announced?

The Official Christmas Number 1 race 2023 kicks off Friday December 15 with sales and streams counting up until midnight (11.59pm) on Thursday, December 21.

Tune in to The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1 on Friday December 22 from 4pm to hear the Christmas Top 40 countdown and the exclusive reveal of the Official Christmas Number 1 2023.

The full Top 100 Official Christmas Singles Chart and Albums Chart will be published on OfficialCharts.com from 5.45pm.

 

Join the conversation now using the hashtag #XmasNo1. Follow @OfficialCharts on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.  To be the first to hear who's leading the race to Christmas Number 1, join the Official Charts mailing list and opt in to Breaking News alerts. And keep up with all our Christmas Number 1 news and features here.