The spirit of Christmas and the spirit of Elvis Presley collided Wednesday night (Nov. 29) for NBC’s all-star Christmas at Graceland special.
Post Malone, Kasey Musgraves, Alanis Morissette, John Legend and Lana Del Rey led the holiday special line-up, which helps to celebrate the legacy of the late King of Rock ‘n Roll.
When it came Del Rey’s time in front of the cameras, she didn’t mess about. The “Summertime Sadness” singer performed a trademark moody rendition of “Unchained Melody,” a hit for the Righteous Brothers’ in the mid-60s. Elvis, of course, turned the song into a piece of history with a stirring performance on June 21, 1977 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota. Elvis passed less than two months later, at the age of 42.
More than a decade has passed since Del Rey introduced herself to the world with “Video Games,” lifted from her second studio album (and major label debut) Born to Die from 2012.
Her ninth and most recent LP, 2023’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and is one of her nine top 10 appearances on the chart, a list that includes two No. 1s (with 2014’s Ultraviolence and 2017’s Lust For Life).
Christmas at Graceland marks the first live musical televised holiday special of its kind at the late Presley’s 13.8-acre Memphis, Tennessee estate, and featured never-before-broadcast footage of the legendary singer. In 1982, Graceland was opened to the public as a museum, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to honor the life of Presley.
In addition to Del Rey, other artists taking part in the Christmas at Graceland special were country star Kane Brown, newly named CMA entertainer of the year Lainey Wilson, Lana Del Rey, 2024 Grammys best new artist nominee The War and Treaty.
Watch Lana Del Rey’s performance below.
