Behind the Song: “Little Drummer Boy,” by Leslie Odom Jr.

While the world knows the name Leslie Odom Jr. for his role in the exquisite Broadway show, Hamilton, another perhaps just as monumental moment in the life was when he got a karaoke machine on Christmas day from his parents at 10-years-old. At the time, Odom Jr., who has since won Tony and Grammy awards, had begun riffling through his father’s records, but the portable karaoke machine – known as a “Singalodeon” – allowed him to record, harmonize and build songs. This experience proved invaluable who would bring the machine to his parents’ room and play them compositions at a young age. Now, just a few decades later, Odom Jr. is poised to release his latest LP, The Christmas Album, on November 6th. The 10-track record, composed during the COVID-19 quanratine, features original and standard standouts, including the song, “Little Drummer Boy,” which features the South African Mzansi Youth Choir. We caught up with Odom Jr. to ask him about his relationship to the song, what it was like working with the choir and much more.