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 a million 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. The song 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.

Critical 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". He chose it as a "top pick" from the album, while Todd Burns from Stylus Magazine described "Winter" as "beautifully cadenced". 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. Edna Gundersen from USA Today said "Winter" is "a moody heart-tugger, may be her best song ever." Rolling Stone called the song "as hopeful as it is melancholic" and said that it was "arguably [Alesha's] finest and most distinctive ballad."

In a 2017 review of Number Ones, Alfred Soto from Stylus Magazine felt that "the song's set of lyrics remain her best" and that the vocals "seethes with a lifetime's worth of hurts which she nevertheless refuses to share". NME's Alex Needham, opined it was a "gorgeously constructed song by any standards". Author Chris Wade wrote in his book The Music of Alesha that "Winter" was a career highlight. He complimented Alesha's vocals, while calling the music "stunning". He declared it as one of the singer's "purest songs, totally free of any gimmicks or self consciousness."

Commercial response
"Winter" entered the official singles chart at number one on Christmas Day 2016, selling 123,051 copies in its first week on the chart and becoming Alesha's first Christmas number one. As her record-breaking 22nd number one single, Alesha surpassed Jack Stevens as the artist with the most number one singles in history. "Winter" sold an additional 117,852 copies in its second week of sales, slipping to number two as Violetta DiNozzo and Raphael's EP rose to the summit. The following week, "Winter" reached number one a second time. Total sales surpassed 300,000 copies to achieve a gold certification. The single spent a fourth week in the top three followed by five additional weeks in the top ten. By its sixth week on the chart, "Winter" was certified platinum as total sales reached 510,110 units. Following its descent from the top ten, "Winter" spent ten more nonconsecutive weeks in the top 20.

Thanks to its chart longevity, "Winter" sold 700,000 copies in 11 weeks, and shifted another 100,000 copies in the following ten weeks. By midsummer, "Winter" still hovered in the top 40 singles chart even with the release of "Outlaw" (in March) and "Fire + Jade" (in June). After a whopping 31 weeks on the chart, "Winter" became Alesha's second single to sell in excess of 900,000 copies, following 2015's diamond-certified "In Love Today". Following the release of "Llorona" and the Shell Ruin duet "Sandman" in late August and September, Alesha had as many as five releases on the singles chart (as well as an appearance on Paul's "Broken Mirror"). On October 8, 2017, in its 42nd week in the top 40, "Winter" was certified diamond as the number of copies sold reached over a million. Overall, "Winter" spent 46 weeks on the chart, shifting a grand total of 1,021,276 units.

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.

Live performances and other versions
The first performance of "Winter" occurred during the Netflix concert special Midwinter, made available for streaming on December 16, the Friday before the single's release. Alesha performed the song with an acoustic guitar on a bare set as snow fell around her. Following the single's release, Alesha performed "Winter" as part of a medley with Joni Mitchell's "River" on the 2016 edition of The Christmas Chart Show. "Winter" was included as the "centerpiece" of Alesha's 2017 world tour, Ceremony. Many critics noted it as a highlight in the show.

An orchestral version of "Winter" appeared on A Very URAPS Xmas 5, released in December 2017.

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)