It was the coup before Christmas. Football-star-turned-commentator Jason Kelce stole the “Queen of Christmas” crown from Mariah Carey — at least for one week — when he scored a No. 1 hit on the iTunes holiday songs chart.
“Maybe This Christmas” — Kelce’s new duet with Stevie Nicks — rules the top 100 holiday tunes over Carey’s seasonal juggernaut “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which came in at No. 2.
“It’s just really special,” said Jason Kelce of topping the iTunes holiday songs chart with “Maybe This Christmas.”phillyspecialchristmas.com
Kelce, 37, addressed his big score on the latest episode of his “New Heights” podcast with his younger brother, Travis Kelce, 35.
When the Kansas City Chiefs tight end — and main squeeze of Taylor Swift — asked about his bro’s chart-topping conquest, Jason jokingly replied, “You know, I’ve fought my whole life to be the Queen of Christmas and the fact that we’re finally there … it’s just really special.”
However, Jason knows that it’s too early in the holiday season to count out Carey’s classic, which turned30 on Oct. 29.
“I know we caught it in early November,” he said. “We’ll see if it holds up throughout the rest of Christmas.”
The former Philadelphia Eagles center continued: “We kind of caught it on the Christmas downslide. Not too many people are listening to Christmas music, so we jumped up in there.”
But, he added, “I’ll take it where I can get it. It’s pretty amazing.”
“Obviously I’m still in awe of the fact that that actually happened,” said Kelce of his and Nicks’ duet.News Heights Show/Instagram
“Maybe This Christmas” — a cover of Ron Sexsmith’s 2002 tune — is the second song released from the upcoming holiday album “A Philly Special Christmas Party.”
The third and final LP by Jason’s Philly Specials trio with former Eagles teammates Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata arrives on Nov. 22 and will once again benefit Philadelphia-area charities.
After Jason and Travis crooned with Boyz II Men on “It’s Christmas Time (In Cleveland Heights)” — the first single from the album — Jason teamed up with Swift’s pal Nicks for “Maybe This Christmas.”
“A Philly Special Christmas Party” arrives in time for the holidays on Nov. 22.phillyspecialchristmas.com
Calling the experience “incredible,” Jason said, “I mean, obviously I’m still in awe of the fact that that actually happened.”
It’s an awestruck feeling that Jason hadn’t gotten over after previously speaking about the collaboration on the podcast in October.
“[It’s] pretty crazy to actually be on a track with Stevie Nicks,” he said last month. “I mean, absolutely unreal … The fact that I’m singing with her, this legend, is pretty unreal.”
In their brotherly banter, Travis kept Jason in check on this week’s podcast, pointing out that he shouldn’t give himself “too much credit” because of Nicks’ legendary participation.
Mariah Carey’s holiday juggernaut “All I Want for Christmas Is You” turned 30 on Oct. 29.phillyspecialchristmas.com
“That’s exactly right,” Jason laughed. “Good point!”
Indeed, Jason admitted, “There’s no percent chance that any song that I am in should be streaming No. 1 on any service, in any genre.”
And let’s face it: Carey — and “All I Want for Christmas Is You” — isn’t going anywhere.
The 55-year-old diva launched her Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time tour in California last week and will hit the New York area with shows at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY, and Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Dec. 13, 15 and 17, respectively.
