Marc Martel Teams Up with Leigh Nash to Record a Chris Rice Classic

By Blessing Harper Oct 29, 2021 06:12 PM EDT

Marc Martel has teamed up with Sixpence None the Richer's Leigh Nash for a re-make of the Chris Rice classic "Welcome to Our World." After 5 straight years of new Christmas music and SIX straight Billboard Top 10 songs, Martel has established himself as an artist to watch every November! "Welcome to Our World" is taken from Martel's new Christmas EP, Hark!

"Hey folks!" Martel announces. "I'm so proud to present to you my newest Christmas single, my duet with Leigh Nash from Sixpence None The Richer. Leigh and I have collaborated a couple times before, but this is our very first time officially releasing a song together. It's a cover of Chris Rice's beautiful modern hymn/carol "Welcome To Our World," which we have both loved since it first released in the mid 90s.

The track was produced by my good friend Jordan Wiberg (at Okanagan Mixing Studios), who also produced "The First Noel," "In The Bleak Midwinter," and "Little Drummer Boy." Give it a listen, and I can't wait for you to hear the rest of my new Christmas EP, Hark!"

Martel comments on what the song means to him. "I've loved this song since I first heard it as a freshman in college. My roommate and future bandmate, Jason Germain and I used to use it as one of our wake-up alarm songs for the early-morning classes. It's one of those all-year-round songs that just happens to also be a Christmas song, and I've wanted to record it for literally, decades." Martel adds, "I've been a huge fan of Leigh since I first heard her voice on Sixpence's debut, and now I get to record with her. It's pretty awesome and humbling."

The task of reimagining Rice's song, also recorded by Michael W. Smith and several other CCM artists, went to producer Jordan Wiberg at Okanagan Mixing Studios in British Columbia. Martel and Wiberg have collaborated on several tracks over the years, and this one is bound to be their biggest yet.

Tags : marc martel leigh nash Christmas Albums 2021 Chris Rice Welcome to Our World marc martel new ep