“Christmas has got to get bigger every year,” Matt Rogers says. And he’s leading the charge to make that happen — including making an exclusive holiday playlist for Billboard.
Rogers — who, earlier this year was named one of Billboard‘s “Top 15 Musical Comedians Right Now” and, with Saturday Night Live cast member Bowen Yang, hosts the very funny Las Culturistas podcast and awards presentation — is currently in the middle of his annual Christmas in December tour, and his audiences are bigger than ever.
“I started this project in 2017 and this show began in a 70 seat cabaret theater in New York, The Duplex,” he recalls. On Dec. 13, he’ll return to the city to play Terminal 5, which holds approximately 3,000. The tour runs through Dec. 23, when Rogers brings some wintry joy to the heat of Orlando, Fla.
Rogers says the show has become bigger, better and Christmas-ier to accommodate the larger spaces he’s playing. “I’m bringing my full band, which I’ve had every year, and we’re adding some new stuff,” he explains. In addition to fan favorites from his 2023 album Have You Heard of Christmas? (which was also the name of his 2022 music and comedy Showtime special), he says, “I have new material I’m going to be doing” — including the single he released last year, “Santa Boy,” which suggests that St. Nick is doing more than delivering presents on Christmas Eve. (“Santa, is this how you treat all your toys?/ You play with us then throw away/ Santa, why you gotta do me like other boys?/ Take a bite of my cookie and go.”)
“It’s the dumbest, gayest Christmas spectacle you can imagine set to music,” says Rogers. “We are giving you every genre. We are committed to the Christmas spirit being spread.” More information on the tour can be found here.
Rogers went out on tour with a gift from one of his favorite artists. “I am a big lozenge person when I tour,” he says. “I was just on The Kelly Clarkson Show, and she told me she has the best lozenges in the world. I was like, ‘Kelly Clarkson, I trust you. Give me the details on your lozenges.’” He says that Clarkson gave him a handful, “so, I’m in Kelly Clarkson’s lozenge culture now, so I feel pretty taken care of for all of December.”
Rogers may want to save one or two of those lozenges for the 2026 Las Culturistas Culture Awards, which will return to Bravo and Peacock. “I guess Bowen and I have joined the ranks of Bravolebrities,” he says. “We aren’t going to throw any wine on each other, but there will be some light arguing. I can guarantee it for our future. We probably just won’t let you see it.”
He called this year’s awards, which were televised for the first time, “daunting,” explaining that “to look out into an audience [when we were rehearsing] and see the seat cards that read, ‘Jeff Goldblum, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sarah Michelle Geller, Kenan Thompson, Allison Janney, Kristen Wiig,’ I was like, ‘Oh, you’re going to dance to Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” in front of these people. Better not mess it up!’”
In the list that follows, Rogers runs through the 26-song playlist he created for Billboard, “It’s Giving…Season,” which is available here. He describes it as “a pop diva Christmas. I sprinkled tracks of my own throughout” — with seasonal tracks by Clarkson (“The Duchess of Christmas,” as he calls her), as well as Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Jennifer Hudson, Troye Sivan, Bonnie McKee and “to tart out,” Mariah Carey, including her monster hit, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” See the whole thing below, with explanations in his own words.
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Matt Rogers, “I Don’t Need It to Be Christmas”
There are some things about me — some — that are genuine… This was my attempt at a genuine Christmas song.
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Mariah Carey, “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Mariah Carey It’s the Mariah banger that we’re all chasing.
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Matt Rogers, “Hottest Female Up in Whoville”
Most people don’t know this: Mariah Carey wrote the song “Where Are You Christmas?” from How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the Jim Carrey version: It was sung by Faith Hill, but Mariah wrote it.
So, the bit that I have going is, what would it be like if Mariah Carey wrote songs from the perspective of other Grinch characters such as Christine Baranski’s Martha May Whovier who is the only single adult woman in Whoville. So, I wrote this in the style of a Mariah Carey 2000s midtempo banger.
She sort of has a torrid situation with the Grinch, and all the women in Whoville are very jealous of her. They covet her clothing, her position in society, and perhaps her single relationship status. And they throw shade.
This is a song that declares what it feels like to be Martha May Whovier — the good, the bad, the ugly, the festive, the sexy, the difficult, the challenging. And it’s not what you think.
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Sabrina Carpenter, “Cindy Lou Who”
Image Credit: Alfredo Flores/Netflix From there, I figure, why don’t I go with another comedy pop singer — Sabrina Carpenter — who, by the way, has songs that are funnier than anything I could ever write. It’s not exactly a comedy song. It’s a gorgeous little song about what it might feel like to have your man stolen by Cindy Lou Who. I just love hearing Sabrina coo over any beat. It’s not the first time she appears on this list.
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Matt Rogers, “Everything You Want”
This one’s about an ex-boyfriend, and the Christmas that we had together. It’s me wishing that all he wants this Christmas comes to him. If only I could remember a single thing he would want. We were so drunk the whole time that we dated, and it was only two months. I think he likes cold brew coffee. I hope his mom is well. I think he has a mom. I hope he gets a gift. You know what I mean.
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“Merry Christmas (To the One I Used to Know)” — Kelly Clarkson
This is a great song, a real genuine Christmas breakup ballad by Kelly Clarkson. You’ll find that I’m sort of holding back from just listing all of Kelly Clarkson’s Christmas songs on this. I do think that she rivals Mariah Carey. Sorry, I know, sacrilege, in terms of Christmas offerings. I think she’s really gunning for the title of nouveau Queen of Christmas. Maybe, the Dutchess of Christmas. She’s absolutely amazing on this song.
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Matt Rogers, “Every Christmas Eve”
This is Mrs. Claus’s theme, told from her perspective… She is pretty up on his bullshit. She’s finally doing the math about the fact that there’s no way he can visit every house in 24 hours on Christmas Eve. So, where do you go when you leave, Santa?
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Mariah Carey feat. Ariana Grande & Jennifer Hudson, “Oh Santa!”
I just don’t think we talk enough about the fact that these three are on a track together, regardless of the season. I need that to change, and I need you to help me do that. People can stream these three voices together and it’s seasonally appropriate to do so. We need to spread the word.
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Matt Rogers, ‘Also It’s Christmas”
It’s a song that I wrote about wanting to go home with someone you meet at the club — but the thing is it’s Christmas, and your sister and her kids are staying with you. There’s things to navigate there, but we find a way in our community.
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Cher, “DJ Play a Christmas Song”
Image Credit: Ralph Bavaro/NBC/Getty Images This song will immediately make you happy the second you hit play. I could not be more excited that Cher is going to be the midseason finale musical guest on Saturday Night Live, because I know that means we’re going to hear this song, with Ariana Grande hosting. This is a Christmas miracle. That’s exactly what you would see if you looked it up in the dictionary.
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Matt Rogers feat. Bowen Yang, “Rockafella Centa”
This is my ode to Rockefeller Center, where SNL takes place. It’s a magical place and isn’t that tree great? More on this in the song.
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Sabrina Carpenter, “Santa Doesn’t Know You Like I Do”
I’m dipping in the same pool again and again, but when someone finds a Christmas lane, and they go zero to 60 in it, you’ve got to give them their props. Sabrina’s Fruitcake EP is a great Christmas EP.
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Matt Rogers, feat. Leland & Vincent, “Immah Have Your Back (This Christmas)”
This is the trio of me, my producer Leland and the incredible artist Vincent. It is all about how if you go home for Christmas this year and your conservative family kicks you out, imma have your back, girl. Just tell me where they live. We’ll burn their house down. I actually know how to get away with arson. I looked it up online. The dark web is crazy.
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Kacey Musgraves feat. Troy Sivan, “Glittery”
Here we have two gay icons serving up a sweet little Christmas song. I just love them, and they look really cute singing it in the special that Kacey put out a few years ago. I always love to give love to Troye and Kacey.
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Matt Rogers, “Have You Heard of Christmas?”
It’s the title track of my 2023 album. Basically it asks that question, and I find that the answer is a resounding “yes.” And that’s good.
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Ariana Grande, “Santa Tell Me”
This song gets better every year. I know we’re giving Ariana a lot of attention at this time of year, but she deserves every ounce of it. If you’ve seen Wicked, you know she absolutely tears it up. She, too, is a Christmas icon, and this is a modern classic. So, you’ve got to give it up.
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Matt Rogers, “RUM PUM PUM”
I’m not going to say anything about it. I’m just going to encourage everyone to click play. You will never think of the little drummer boy the same again. He really was one of the first twinks. We have to give him his props.
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Wham!, “Last Christmas”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo George Michael, not exactly a twink; probably more of like a light bear. A gay icon nonetheless. We miss you, George. Thank you for your contribution to Christmas.
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Matt Rogers, “Lube For the Sleigh”
This is actually a tale of how Santa fits all of the gifts into that one big bag. You’re thinking how the hell does he get all the gifts in that one bag? Well, he has a lot of lube at the North Pole, so he lubes up all the gifts and that’s how they fit. Why does he have so much lube? It’s not our business.
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Ariana Grande & Kelly Clarkson, “Santa, Can’t You Hear Me”
Image Credit: Weiss Eubanks/NBC I really want to ring the bell on this. Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande are not just pop superstars and two of the best singers of all time. They’re also Christmas icons, and they are matching each other vocally on this song in a stratospheric way. You’ve got to pay respects when two singers of this caliber get on a track and absolutely wail, “Santa, can’t you hear me?” If he can’t, there’s a problem.
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Matt Rogers, “Rain on Christmas”
This is a song that I wrote to my parents. I wanted to express my gratitude to them, and everything they did to help me in this life. I owe everything to them and goddammit, do they f–k it up on Christmas. They always come through with the check. Always. Oh, my Verizon bill is covered. Con Ed doesn’t stand a chance against me.
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Mariah Carey, “Miss You Most (At Christmastime)”
This is an underrated Mariah song. I know a lot of people out there are saying “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is so ubiquitous. Some go as far as to say it’s overrated. I disagree with them wholeheartedly, but if they want to give another Mariah song its propers here it is, “Miss You Most (At Christmastime).” I also believe it’s one of her favorite Christmas songs that she’s done. So, listen to the queen.
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Matt Rogers, “God’s Up to His Tricks!”
This song is about what really happens when God gets in a mood. Things can go positively. Things can go negatively, but, blind faith, we love them either way. Thank you, God. Keep doing your thing. Sometimes you’re a little bit of a b–ch, but we love you for it, you messy queen. If you love Real Housewives you probably love God. He’s always getting into a d–n mood and turning it up.
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Kelly Clarkson, “Underneath the Tree”
I believe this song is the ascendent “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” I think we will see it go to No. 1 during the Christmas season one day. Do quote me on that — and I’m sure you would anyway, because you’re a journalist.
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Matt Rogers, “Santa Boy”
This is my Christmas single from last year. I’m really excited to give a voice to the voiceless — a.k.a. the tricks that Santa leaves despondent when he hits and quits it on Christmas Eve. That’s what I’m saying. Yes, Santa is bisexual. If you take away anything from this interview, let it be that.
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Bonnie McKee with Matt Rogers, “California Winter”
Image Credit: Courtesy Bonnie McKee is one of the most incredible pop music songwriters we have had over the past couple decades. She wrote a lot of Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream album — and I knew I made it as a Christmas, quote, unquote pop star, when Bonnie herself said, “Hey, can you come over and get on this track?” That is how I know I’ve flown too close to the sun. It is the last song on here because I don’t know how to top it.. One of the best songwriters ever said, “Hey Matt, get on this track,” and it wasn’t a joke. I didn’t show up and find out Punk’d with Ashton Kutcher was being revived.
