Amelia And The Housewives - Snowgaze/Peace Amelia And The Housewives

The indie pop band Amelia And The Housewives are from Brighton, England — a fact they never tire of emphasising. According to urban legend, the band was formed in May 2024 by Amelia and Lola after the two met at a Julie London/Peter and the Test Tube Babies tribute night at the local Valley Social Centre. Accompanied by their backing band, The Housewives – all male – the two set out on their mission to take fun seriously. This went pretty well: after only one gig, the legendary Damaged Goods Records offered the band a single release. In April 2025, the band debuted on the label with the 7" single 'Maybe"/"Shattered", two very British-sounding, jangly, catchy indie pop songs with a slight hint of melancholy. The songs mixed 1960s pop harmonies with 1970s punk energy perfectly. In October 2026, the band released their eponymous debut album on INH Records, preceded by the single "Narcissist", accompanied by a humorous video.

The Christmas single that Amelia And The Housewives recorded for the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club showcases the band's musical diversity. On the aptly titled "Snowgaze", the band slows things down and takes a more rocking approach to their music than usual, while retaining the jangly guitars and harmonies. While the lyrics seem to be a simple call to have fun at Christmastime, there is a deeper meaning behind them, revealed by the melancholy dripping throughout the vocals and music. What's more, the song features not one, but two guitar solos!

For the B-side, the band chose to record the hymn "Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace", which is generally attributed to St Francis of Assisi, but was most probably written by the French priest Father Estelle Bouquerel in 1912 – although the band claims the prayer is much older and was written by Jesus Himself! Whatever its origin, this plea for peace has always been a popular hymn in times of war and global unrest, so it is fitting to record it in the current troubled times. The two best-known modern versions are Sinéad O’Connor's recording for the Princess Diana tribute album and Susan Boyle's recording for her 2010 Christmas album, both of which are based on an arrangement originally recorded in 1967 by South African songwriter Sebastian Temple. Using only her voice, Amelia captures the hymn's delicate nature and spiritual essence perfectly, radiating the hope it conveys.