Carols are a staple of the traditional Christmas routine all the world over. For centuries, people have been celebrating this special time of the year by gathering together to either sing hymns from the Bible or to spread songs of joy and goodwill during the festive period to those who need an extra dose of happiness.
Amongst those who carol over Christmas, some groups have taken the tradition to a professional level and excel in their professionalism and spirit. One such group that fits this category is Libera, an English all-boy vocal group that went viral with their Christmas rendition of “Carol Of The Bells”. This young group has an abundance of talent between them, and you can see for yourself in the video below:
The serene setting in which Libera’s video of their “Carol Of The Bells” rendition only adds to the beauty of their actual performance. The boys are sincere in their singing, and the range that they all possess and project together is impressive for their age. Even if celebrating Christmas isn’t something that you do, it’s hard to deny that this collective of boys has an impressive talent that could take them very far in life.
“Carol Of The Bells” is an immensely popular Christmas carol in the Western world, but it has its origins in the East. The contemporary version is loosely based on a traditional Ukrainian folk chant entitled “Shchedryk”, which roughly translates to “Bell Carol” and was arranged by a composer and teacher named Mykola Leontovych somewhere between 1901 and 1919. It is traditionally sung around the New Year, which is a big deal in Eastern Europe; listen to it in the video below:
Alongside being taken from a Ukrainian folk song, the Western version of “Shchedryk” has become a certified classic at Christmas time. It’s impossible to escape hearing it every year, and it has even made its way into popular Christmas entertainment movies such as Disney’s Home Alone. This 1990 classic starring Macaulay Culkin became an immediate Christmas hit, with its quick humor and quirky antics that warmed the hearts of millions.
Libera is nothing short of a success on both social media and YouTube. Their version of “Carol Of The Bells” amassed an incredible 27 million views on YouTube since its release in 2019, and their other videos easily hit half a million views as they’re spread around the world. They are most active around Christmas time, but release other songs throughout the year also, demonstrating their adaptability and skill in their craft.
The English group is also keen to spread their music around the world and has collaborated with some rather impressive artists. For example, in December 2023 they presented a collaboration with The Resonanz Children’s Choir out of Jakarta, Indonesia, which featured both groups singing “Nusantara” / “Sing For Our World”, in their respective languages. This was an incredible effort to spread their message of “unity in diversity”. If you would like to see more from Libera, you can follow them on Facebook.