Just in time for the holidays, rock-band The Pretty Reckless have delivered a festive surprise: a gritty, atmospheric new take on the nostalgic ballad “Where Are You Christmas?,” originally performed by 7-year-old Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who in the 2000 film How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The track leads their freshly released seasonal EP, Taylor Momsen’s Pretty Reckless Christmas.
Momsen — who first sang the song as the child character in the film — now reintroduces it with a haunting fusion of nostalgia and rock-edge: the new version begins with a snippet of her childhood voice layered over piano, before launching into her matured, powerful vocals backed by gritty guitars and atmospheric instrumentation. The result re-imagines the song through two decades of growth — a full circle, with heart and attitude.
On the decision to revisit the song, Momsen said: “Revisiting ‘Where Are You Christmas’ 25 years later feels like coming home to a part of myself I hadn’t seen in a long time. I was just a child when I first sang it, and I never could’ve imagined the way the song, and the film, would stay with people for so long...” She added that recording it now, “with all the life I’ve lived in between, I hear it through a different lens… but the heart of it is the same. It’s about wonder, hope, and holding on to the magic — something I think we all need more than ever.”
The new EP, released digitally on 31 October 2025 and arriving in physical form on 14 November, features six tracks in total — bookended by two versions of “Where Are You Christmas?” and punctuated by four original holiday songs that carry The Pretty Reckless’ signature tone. Among them are the soulful “I Wanna Be Your Christmas Tree,” the edgy “Christmas Is Killing Me,” as well as “Blues on Christmas,” “When We Were Young,” and a reprise modestly titled “Christmas, Why Can’t I Find You?”.
This release stands out partly because it defies typical expectations of Christmas music. Instead of gentle bells and sentimental crooning, Pretty Reckless offer raw guitar riffs, gritty vocals, and a darker, more rock-oriented take — yet with a thread of nostalgia that ties back to the original film. It’s both a tribute and a reinvention.
