Steve Grand tells how surprise “All I Want For Christmas” came together in just days

When it comes to planning a career, Steve Grand is still making up his own rules.

The singer who blasted on to the scene with his gay-themed All-American Boy video in the summer of 2013 has once again connected with fans with a surprise holiday video.

Grand’s version of Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You has surpassed 300,000 views in less than three days.

Not bad for a video that a week ago he didn’t even know he was going to make.

Grand’s recording is inspired by Michael Buble’s 2011 cover which Grand performed live for the first time a few weeks ago in San Francisco at the Richmond/ERMET AIDS Foundation benefit.

Last Thursday, Grand says he was jamming in his basement outside of Chicago, played the song and decided right there and then he had to make a video and get it out before Christmas.

Grand tells Billboard: ‘I was like, “You know what, I should do a Christmas song.” And then I so I called up Alana [Mulford, Grand’s manager] and my video editor and director [John Lavin], and I was just like, “We gotta do this.”‘

He wanted it done by Monday so flew to Los Angeles then drove to Palm Springs where Lavin lives to work on it over the weekend. His co-star, Trevor LaPaglia, got a call on Friday and agreed to meet Grand and Lavin in Palm Springs.

‘I recorded the piano and the vocals back at my place on Friday, and then edited them on the plane ride over,’ Grand says. ‘It was a big challenge, but it was also really really fun.’

Of co-star LaPaglia he says: ‘I got so lucky with him. I didn’t realize that he was such a skilled director as well, so he was incredibly valuable. Not just in front of the camera, but behind it too. He did things with lighting… he just really took the initiative, above and beyond the call of duty.’