Winter

"Winter" is a song by British recording artist Alesha from her tenth studio album The White Album (2016). Alesha began writing "Winter" as early as 2014 but left the unfinished track in demo form as it would not have fit her previous album afterhours (2015). The song was revisited while Alesha was writing and producing The White Album, which showcases a wide range of influences and diverse musical styles. A mid-tempo ballad, backed by acoustic guitar and piano, "Winter" lyrically focuses on themes of self-empowerment and emotional renewal.

"Winter" received acclaim from music critics, some of whom deemed it an album standout. It was described as being a masterpiece, and its melody and sound were defined as "timeless". The song was a worldwide chart success, becoming Alesha's first Christmas number one and her record-breaking 22nd number one single altogether (surpassing Jack Stevens' record). Following "In Love Today" (2015), "Winter" became Alesha's second single to sell over 900,000 copies.

The accompanying music video for "Winter" was directed by fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh on the coast of Big Sur, California. Recorded using a special rig of multiple cameras, the clip is presented as an immersive, 360-degree video experience. To promote "Winter", Alesha partnered with Netflix to distribute the documentary Alesha: The White Album and concert special Midwinter. It was featured prominently in Alesha's subsequent world tour, Ceremony.

Background and composition
In May 2014, Alesha released her self-titled eighth studio album after a three-year hiatus; she continued writing and recording for the album's diamond edition and her subsequent studio album afterhours (2015). During these prolific sessions, Alesha worked on a rough track entitled "Winter". It was decided that the song was not fit for afterhours, a concept album that was rooted in '80s synthpop and queer counterculture. Alesha revisited "Winter" in 2016 while writing, producing and recording her tenth studio album The White Album, released that same year. The White Album found Alesha influenced by an array of musical styles and subgenres, ranging from dream pop and neo-psychedelia to country and folk.

"Winter" is a mid-tempo ballad led by simplistic acoustic guitar chords and a piano line. The song's production is minimal. Lyrically, the song focuses on themes of self-empowerment and emotional recovery by way of self-care. In a letter posted to Lena Dunham's feminist blog Lenny Letter, Alesha wrote about the meaning of the song, saying she "channeled feelings of severe hopelessness and depression [...] and found strength even when it felt out of reach. I've found what I had thought was an unobtainable place of peace. This song is about learning to choose love for yourself even during low moments when you feel alone." Although the song is not a holiday song, Alesha does reference Christmas in the first bridge; the song has been compared to Joni Mitchell's "River" (1971), a melancholy ballad which has become a modern Christmas standard.

Promotion
"Winter" was announced as the second single from The White Album on November 14, 2016; it was sent to radio worldwide on November 22. The same day, multinational streaming service Netflix teased four images featuring the smoke bomb motif employed throughout The White Album campaign. The teasers read: "Unplugged. Unrated. Unrivaled.", adorned with the Netflix logo. On December 5, art installations popped up across the globe as popular landmarks and city centers became shrouded in colorful plumes of smoke. Alesha tweeted that she was "coming to over 200 countries in December." Netflix formally announced that they had teamed up with Alesha to premiere and distribute an exclusive documentary, Alesha: The White Album and concert special Midwinter. The documentary premiered on Friday, December 9, followed by the concert a week later on December 16. The Netflix specials marked Alesha's first performances and interviews of The White Album era. Alesha also appeared on Chelsea Handler's Netflix talk show, Chelsea.

Alesha contributed a cover of indie band Low's "Just Like Christmas" to the fourth A Very URAPS Xmas compilation; the song also featured as a B-side to "Winter". A limited edition 7" vinyl, available exclusively through Alesha's official website, featured a previously unreleased track titled "Realigned". Fans who bought the vinyl were granted access to a digital download of the track. Following the single's release, Alesha performed "Winter" (as part of a medley with Joni Mitchell's "River") at the 2016 Christmas Chart Show. At the end of the chart countdown, Alesha was crowned the year's Christmas number one. Alesha's performance of "Winter" on her 2017 world tour Ceremony was described as "a true highlight" in a review by Rolling Stone.

Music video
A music video for "Winter" was not released during the single's promotional campaign, despite being filmed in November 2016. Its release was reserved for a visual edition of The White Album, released on June 12, 2017. Directed by famed fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh, the video was filmed on location in Big Sur, California, by the coast of the Pacific Ocean and surrounded by the Santa Lucia Mountains. On June 26, 28 weeks after "Winter" first charted, the single's music video was uploaded to Alesha's official VEVO and Facebook pages.

Using a special rig of multiple cameras, the "Winter" video is an immersive, 360-degree video. It gives viewers the opportunity to view Alesha and the surrounding beach and mountains from virtually any angle throughout its duration. The video features over 20 panoramas in total.

Reception
"Winter" was generally well received by music critics. In a review of The White Album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic called it a "tremendous ballad that rewrites the rules of adult contemporary crossover". Jim Farber from Entertainment Weekly called the song "her best ballad to date". Joe Marvilli from No Ripcord stated that Alesha's vocals "almost [cracked] out of sadness" during the chorus. Rolling Stone called the song "as hopeful as it is melancholic" and said that it was "arguably [Alesha's] finest and most distinctive ballad."

Track listing and formats

 * Digital single
 * 1) "Winter"
 * 2) "Just Like Christmas" (from A Very URAPS Xmas 4)


 * Limited-edition 7" vinyl
 * 1) "Winter"
 * 2) "Realigned" (prev. unreleased)