RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Rosé has loved Christmas since 1997 when Santa gifted her with a Doom 64 game for her Nintendo.  Early this month, she sang her appreciation to everyone’s favorite jolly elf with her own sweet rendition of the classic tune, “Santa Baby.”  Now, Rosé is releasing a fun new music video to accompany the song.

In Rosé’s “Santa Baby” video, Santa is depicted as hurdling through the sky, high as a kite, on Christmas Eve. He flies over a snowy forest and pulls over to land for a break. There, he sees a quaint little rosy pink cottage and inside it, the silhouette of a beautiful woman playing music on a gramophone.  

In a flash, we’re inside the woman’s home, and lo and behold, it’s Rosé!  She is the picture of irresistibility and with the help of four sexy men, Rosé launches into a full, bells on performance.  She sings and dances, begging Santa to fulfill her Christmas wishes.   Old Santa is losing his folly mind over the sexy temptress but at the end of the song, the mysterious cottage vanishes into thin air and, along with Santa, we realize it was all merely an extremely festive hallucination.

“I have always adored ‘Santa Baby’,” Rosé reflects of the classic song.   “I love its naughty, sexy mood, and its femininity. My version pays homage to Eartha Kitt’s, Madonna’s, and Gwen Stefani’s but I make the song my own by peppering in some light percussion and a few string moments.  Also, my ‘Santa Baby’ is almost 100% vocal, and the voice is of a cis man.”

The animation in Rosé’s “Santa Baby” was created by Joe Sulsenti of Nickelodeon, and Miles Schlenker of Disney.   The featured dancers are Ryan John, Danny Lopez, Karaj Pettis, and Casey Sheehan.

Miguel Zarate choreographed the video.  Make-up and costuming is by Rosé.

“The original dress I had planned to wear got lost in the mail,” Rosé explains.  “And the day of the shoot, my hair was not giving.”   Rosé ended up using alternative choices, but all worked out in the end.  “I’m so glad the Universe pointed me in a new direction because I love the green and ice blonde moment.”

Rosé is looking forward to the holiday season.  She will spend it with her nieces and nephews in Houston, Texas.  She is also excited about the new year and plans to make a lot more music.

We caught up with her at her parent’s home in Houston, Texas, where she is spending the holidays being the most festive gay drag queen uncle ever.

By Thomas Larcombe

Hi Rosé!  We love “Santa Baby”?  What inspired you to remake it?
Honestly, Sixfoot 5 (producer) and I were cutting it close on a different original project, and decided in the wee hours to shelf it and save it for next year. We had a little bit of time left together in the studio that day, so I said “I have another idea. I can make it up on the spot.” I arranged Santa Baby and laid down all of the vocals in about three hours. It happened unintentionally and without warning. I have always adored the song, because of its naughty, sexy mood, and its femininity. When it came on during the holidays of my childhood, I always felt like I would get in trouble for listening to it lol, so, obvi, had to record one myself! Hello!

How is your “Santa Baby” different from Eartha Kitt’s, Madonna’s, Gwen Stefani’s and all of the other “Santa Baby’s”?
My Santa Baby is almost 100% vocal. We peppered in some light percussion and a few string moments, but aside from that, it’s all my voice. And, the voice of a cis man.

Why do you believe the sexy Christmas song has endured so long?
Sex is always in.

What is the story that is being told in the music video?
(Laughing) Ok, I’m obsessed with our story!  Santa is hurdling through the sky, high as a kite, on Christmas Eve. He flies over a snowy forest and pulls over to land for a break. Maybe Rudolph has to pee or something. Suddenly, he sees a quaint little cottage, rosy pink. A beautiful woman’s silhouette entrances Santa as she begins to play her favorite Christmas song on the gramophone. Suddenly, we’re inside her home, and she – well, she’s me – gives a full out bells on performance with four sexy men giving mad Santa tease. She is the picture of irresistibility. And as she sings and dances, begging Santa to fulfill her Christmas wishes, we cut back to Mr. Claus, to see him losing his fucking mind over how hot she is. At the end of the song, the mysterious woman’s little house vanishes in thin air. It was all merely an extremely festive hallucination.

How did you select the hair, make-up, and outfit for the video?
My dress got lost in the mail, and the hair wasn’t giving, so I wore backup options galore! And I’m so glad the Universe pointed me in that direction at the very last minute, because I love the green and ice blonde moment.

Who choreographed the music video?
One of my favorite humans on Planet Earth, Miguel Zarate. We have known each other for years, and have cheered each others’ careers on happily from the other coast, but outside of luckily and briefly working on RuPaul’s Drag Race together, this is our first creative full out creative collaboration. The bitch is my sis, but it’s low key such an honor to work with Miguel. A genius. So gifted.  He selected the wonderful dancers, too. They are Ryan John, Danny Lopez, Karaj Pettis, and Casey Sheehan.

The animation is incredible!
The animation in Santa Baby was created by Joe Sulsenti of Nickelodeon, and Miles Schlenker of Disney. I’ve been friends with Joe for years, and I’ve always wanted to incorporate his art into mine. I think his drawings have such a chiseled and nostalgic sense of humor, as a theme. Obsessed.

What are you most looking forward to in the new year?
Making music.

Rosé’s “Santa Baby” is available now on iTunes, Spotify and all digital platforms.