Loneliest Time of Year

"Loneliest Time of Year"
Original cover. The re-release uses the same photo but in greyscale.
Single by Mabel
from the EP Christmas
Released22 November 2019 (2019-11-22)
GenreChristmas
Length3:22
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Sillkey
  • Tre Jean-Marie
Mabel singles chronology
"God Is a Dancer"
(2019) 		"Loneliest Time of Year"
(2019) 		"Boyfriend"
(2020)
Music video
"Loneliest Time of Year" on YouTube

"Loneliest Time of Year" is a Christmas song by English singer Mabel, released by Polydor Records on 22 November 2019. It was written by Mabel, MNEK, Tre Jean-Marie, Nayla Nyassa and Camille Purcell, and produced by Sillkey and Tre Jean-Marie.[1]

Release

Mabel first teased "Loneliest Time of Year" on Twitter on 19 November 2019 by posting the lyrics, "Doesn't matter if I manage to get all the things on my list".[2] She shared its accompanying cover art on social media and a short snippet of the song on TikTok the following day.[3][4] The cover art is a polaroid of the singer wearing a plaid winter coat and Supreme winter hat in front of a snow backdrop.[5] Upon the single's release on 22 November 2019, Mabel wrote, "Important to remember that what can be the best time of year for some can be the loneliest time of year for someone else so be kind and take care of each other this Christmas."[6] One year later, Mabel announced on 18 November 2020 via social media that she was going to re-release the song along with a cover of the song I'll Be Home for Christmas on 20 November 2020.[7]

Critical reception

In his review for Idolator, Mike Wass called it a "wonderfully miserable" and "refreshingly realistic Christmas song".[8]

Track listing

  • Digital download (2019)
  1. "Loneliest Time of Year" – 3:22
  • Digital download (2020)[9]
  1. "Loneliest Time of Year" – 3:22
  2. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" – 3:15

Personnel

  • Mabel – vocals
  • Sillkey – production, drums, keyboards, piano, bass, synthesizer
  • Tre Jean-Marie – production, drums, engineering, guitar, keyboards, strings, synthesizer, programming, background vocals
  • MNEK – vocal production
  • Matt Zara – guitar
  • Phil Tan – mixing
  • Stuart Hawkes – mastering

Credits adapted from Qobuz.[1]

Charts

Chart (2019–2020) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[10] 11
Scotland (OCC)[11] 57
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 78

References

  1. ^ a b "Album Loneliest Time of Year, Mabel". Qobuz. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  2. ^ @Mabel (19 November 2019). "Doesn't matter if I manage to get all the things on my list 🖤✨" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 November 2019 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ @Mabel (20 November 2019). "Loneliest Time Of Year. Out Friday ✨" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 November 2019 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "Mabel(@mabel) on TikTok: Loneliest Time Of Year. Out Friday ✨ #christmas". TikTok. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  5. ^ Magnocavallo, Fabio (22 November 2019). "Little Mix & Mabel Release Their First-Ever Christmas Singles This Week". Inquisitr. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  6. ^ @Mabel (22 November 2019). "Loneliest Time Of Year out now Important to remember that what can be the best time of year for some can be the loneliest time of year for someone else so be kind and take care of each other this Christmas. Thanku to my studio fam @Tre @MNEK @KamilleXX 🎄" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 November 2019 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ https://www.instagram.com/p/CHvrAJsHLIh/?igshid=mgwb9ewh3wmi [dead link]
  8. ^ Wass, Mike (24 November 2019). "Mabel Isn't Feeling Very Festive On 'Loneliest Time Of The Year'". Idolator. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  9. ^ "iTunes - Music - Loneliest Time of Year - Single by Mabel". iTunes Store. 20 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Mabel %5BUK%5D – Loneliest Time of Year" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 52". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 27 December 2019.