New Music & Video Release - Reb Fountain's 'Christmas in Wellington' - 13th November 2025
Artist Name - Reb Fountain
Release Name - Christmas in Wellington
Release Date - 13th November 2025
Genre - Country Music, Singer-Songwriter, Pop Alternative
Label - Flying Nun
Christmas is the perfect time to re-envision an Xmas song to bring good cheer to folks and raise funds for charity to boot. Reb Fountain shares Christmas in Wellington; a poignant reimagining of Steve Earle’s classic, ‘Christmas in Washington’. Christmas in Wellington is set in Aotearoa, New Zealand with all donations going to MusicHelps. Only the names have changed but the sentiment is the same. In these times we need a guiding light to shine the way. Come back, Woody Guthrie, to us now.
In 2023, Reb Fountain released her cover of, ‘Happy Xmas (War is Over)’, by John Lennon and Yoko Ono; a beautiful rendition of a classic tune calling for peace that rang resonate in our current times. This year, in the spirit of the great folk singer Woody Guthrie, award-winning New Zealand artist Reb Fountain shares her powerful reworking of Steve Earle’s ‘Christmas in Washington’. In Christmas in Wellington, Reb reflects on where we are, where we might be headed and the role of the artist in navigating challenging the road ahead.
Calling upon the spirit of folk singer and activist Woody Guthrie, Reb summons beloved Kiwi heroes, urging them to rise again and guide us toward a brighter, more unified future.
With the backdrop of recession, increasing inequity, breaches of Te Titiri, inaction over climate change and genocide and the ongoing hardships experienced by creative artists, communities and ecosystems across the country, Reb has reverently evolved Earle’s lyrics to reflect the unique struggles and hopes of life in Aotearoa, whilst celebrating the resilience of its people and environment.
The release of ‘Christmas in Wellington’ is not just a call for reflection but also a meaningful action for change. All profits from the song will be donated to MusicHelps, an Aotearoa-based charity that uses the transformative power of music to support hundreds of projects across New Zealand. MusicHelps has positively impacted the lives of thousands of New Zealanders offering aid to those in need through emergency assistance to music people experiencing hardship.
This holiday season, join Reb Fountain in celebrating the power of music to inspire, heal, and unite.
Visit Bandcamp to download ‘Christmas in Wellington’ and donate to MusicHelps.