‘A Christmas Story Live!’ to Kick Off with Bebe Rexha Performance

Fox’s A Christmas Story Live! musical event will kick off with a performance by singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha. Benja Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen) wrote the original song “Count on Christmas” for the musical, and Rexha will perform it at the beginning of the live broadcast. “Count on Christmas” is the first original Christmas song Rexha’s ever performed and in a short video announcing her attachment to A Christmas Story Live!, she described the rehearsals.

“We were on set the other day and there’s going to be like 75 dancers behind me. And, I’m singing it live in front of the whole country,” said Rexha. “So, it’s going to be a little bit different than recording it in the studio. I can’t wait for the world to hear it because I’ve been singing it non-stop.”

Rexha is excited to be a part of the live musical event and loves the original film. “I was such a big fan of A Christmas Story, especially growing up we watched it during Christmas time. And, when Fox asked me to be a part of this live musical, it was kind of a dream come true.”

Bebe Rexha joins a cast that includes Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live, Bridesmaids), Matthew Broderick (Manchester by the Sea), Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley, Episodes), Ana Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live), David Alan Grier (The Carmichael Show), Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken), and Andy Walken. PRETTYMUCH is on board to perform as the Hohman Indiana carolers.

The three-hour A Christmas Story Live! musical will air on Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 7pm ET (tape-delayed on the West Coast). Scott Ellis (She Loves Me, Weeds) is the director overseeing the stage direction. Alex Rudzinski (Grease: Live) is the live television director. Ellis, Rudzinski, Marc Platt, and Adam Siegel are executive producing. Jonathan Tolins and Robert Cary are on board as writers and co-executive producers.

More on Bebe Rexha, Courtesy of Fox: “Singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha has accumulated more than 10 million overall single sales, 3.25 billion total global streams and a radio audience of more than 10 billion. Her most recent single, “Meant To Be” with Florida Georgia Line, is currently topping the charts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country and has amassed over 130M global streams to date. Rexha hit No. 1 both on the Billboard Pop and Rap charts with her Platinum-selling smash single, “Me, Myself & I” with G-Eazy. Her single, “No Broken Hearts,” featuring Nicki Minaj, has more than 217 million YouTube/VEVO views to date; she is featured on Martin Garrix’s single, “In The Name of Love,” which already has more than 231 million YouTube/VEVO views; and “I Got You” has garnered more than 199 million YouTube/VEVO views.

Rexha burst onto the scene in 2013 when she penned the song “Monster,” which became a worldwide hit for Eminem and Rihanna, and went RIAA quadruple-Platinum stateside. She wrote and was featured on Cash Cash’s “Take Me Home” and Pitbull’s “This Is Not A Drill,” in addition to writing Tinashe’s “All Hands On Deck” and Selena Gomez’s “Champion.” Her 2015 debut EP, I Don’t Wanna Grow Up (Warner Bros. Records), boasts the singles “I Can’t Stop Drinking About You” and “I’m Gonna Show You Crazy,” which racked up more than 52 million Spotify streams in only six months. That same year, she co-wrote and carried instantly recognizable hooks for the double-Platinum “Hey Mama,” by David Guetta, Nicki Minaj and Afrojack, which was nominated for a Billboard Music Award for Top Dance/Electronic Song, as well as the Billboard Hot 100 smash “Me, Myself, & I” with G-Eazy. Rexha released her debut EP, All Your Fault: Part 1, and the follow-up, All Your Fault: Part 2, this year to rave reviews. In addition, she also is featured on Louis Tomlinson’s track, “Back to You,” off of his upcoming solo album.”