Every December, there seems to be an avalanche of Christmas singles, covers and albums from various artists. Out of the Blue, Oxford’s very own male a cappella group from Oxford University and Oxford Brookes, are ready to showcase their own talents with a music video of Mariah Carey’s Christmas classic.
The video opens with a wide shot of the group singing in a chapel, followed by several shots of the soloists in the corridor and other locations outside – highlighting the grandiose architecture of Oxford’s college buildings. A Christmas tree is set up as a central background piece for the soloists, two of whom manage to do an impressive set of runs while singing the lines, “Make my wish come true / All I want for Christmas is you.”
Just as the chorus rolls in, the song picks up its pace and the entire group scurries into the scene, assembling into a perfect formation just in front of the tree. In an instant, the video morphs from being a serious choral performance to an upbeat production that can surely cheer up anyone during this holiday season. The video continues with a montage of the group at different settings, singing and dancing together in suits and Santa hats. It isn’t the most conventional of pairings, but Out of the Blue is anything but your typical a cappella group.
Despite their slightly awkward, slightly muddled choreography that isn’t quite as polished compared to groups like The Warblers from Glee, what makes the video fun to watch is seeing them do it with beaming confidence. The colours in this video are slightly drab at times, with several lighting issues affecting the sharpness of the images. However, these problems are most likely due to the adverse weather conditions, making it difficult to shoot bright and crisp images when the air is cold and foggy outside.
In the second half of the video, the song transitions into “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” for a brief moment before raising the key and going back to the first song. The video continues its Christmas narrative by showing the boys gathered indoors, wearing Christmas sweaters, opening presents and generally enjoying a cozy night together.
Jack Remmington, a second-year student in Oxford University, steals the final moments of the song as he takes the lead up to the very end. His powerful and pristine vocals are highlighted by the group’s solid harmonies, ending the song with a big bang.
Overall, the video is a mighty success, as it is the first to showcase the individual talents of the new members. It’s a solid cover of a well-known Christmas song, one that can definitely be enjoyed by anyone all year long.