Under the crisp December sky of Midtown Manhattan, where the glow of holiday lights battles the chill of a New York winter, something profoundly simple yet utterly transcendent unfolded on December 3, 2025. As the 93rd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony reached its emotional crescendo, two Oklahoma-born powerhouses—Reba McEntire and Kristin Chenoweth—stepped into the spotlight, their voices intertwining on the timeless holiday standard “Silver Bells.” What began as a festive duet amid the swirl of confetti and cheers transformed into a moment of hushed reverence, the kind that silences a crowd of thousands and lingers in the soul long after the applause fades. Dressed in elegant white coats with fur collars, the duo’s harmonies—Reba’s warm, weathered country timbre blending seamlessly with Kristin’s crystalline Broadway soprano—didn’t just perform the song; they embodied the quiet magic of the season, turning a bustling plaza into a sanctuary of shared wonder. In an era of overproduced spectacle, this unassuming collaboration reminded everyone watching why the holidays still hold that almost sacred pull: connection, in its purest, most human form.

The performance, aired live on NBC and streamed on Peacock as part of the two-hour special “Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” has already amassed over 15 million views across platforms, with social media ablaze under #RebaAndKristin and #SilverBellsMagic. Fans from Oklahoma to Oslo flooded timelines with teary-eyed reactions: “Two queens, one heart-melting harmony—Oklahoma represent!” one user posted, echoing the sentiment of a nation pausing amid holiday frenzy. For host Reba McEntire, it capped a night of high-energy triumphs; for Kristin Chenoweth, fresh from her Broadway triumph in The Queen of Versailles, it was a homecoming of sorts. But beyond the star power, this duet stood as a testament to enduring legacies—two women who’ve conquered stages from Nashville to the Great White Way, now weaving their voices into the fabric of a tradition that’s lit up New York for nearly a century.

The Queens of Oklahoma: Reba and Kristin’s Storied Paths to the Plaza

To grasp the weight of that “Silver Bells” moment, one must trace the remarkable arcs of Reba McEntire and Kristin Chenoweth, two trailblazers whose journeys from the Sooner State’s dusty stages to global icon status read like chapters from an inspirational ballad. Reba Nell McEntire, born March 28, 1955, in McAlester, Oklahoma, grew up barrel racing on her family’s ranch, her voice as much a part of the landscape as the red dirt roads. By age 5, she was harmonizing with her siblings in the Singing McEntires, a family band that gigged at rodeos and county fairs. Her big break came in 1975 when she caught the ear of Red Steagall at the National Finals Rodeo, landing a Mercury Records deal. What followed was a country music dynasty: over 75 million albums sold, 24 No. 1 singles, three Grammys, and an EGOT-level resume that includes Broadway’s Annie Get Your Gun revival and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Reba’s career isn’t just hits—it’s reinvention. From the heartbreak anthems of Whoever’s in New England (1986) to the sassy empowerment of Fancy (1990), she’s navigated divorces, the tragic 1991 plane crash that claimed seven bandmates, and a pivot to acting with Reba (2001-2007), the sitcom that ran for six seasons and earned her a Golden Globe nod. At 70, she’s as vital as ever: coaching on The Voice Season 28, launching the sitcom Happy’s Place in fall 2025, and headlining her Vegas residency Reba: Live at the Colosseum. Hosting Rockefeller was a full-circle nod—her first time at the helm of the special, where she opened with a poignant cover of Vince Gill’s “Let There Be Peace on Earth” and closed the musical lineup with “Run Run Rudolph,” her red sequined gown catching the lights like a holiday firework. “Hosting this? It’s like singing to the world from my living room,” she quipped backstage, her Oklahoma twang cutting through the glamour.

Enter Kristin Chenoweth, the pint-sized powerhouse born July 24, 1968, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma—adopted by a family who nurtured her operatic gifts from toddlerhood. A prodigy who skipped grades and earned a vocal performance degree from Oklahoma City University, Kristin burst onto Broadway in 1999 as Charity Hope Valentine in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, snagging a Tony at age 31. Her witchy turn as Glinda in Wicked (2003) cemented her as a Broadway darling, while TV roles in The West Wing (as Annabeth Schott) and Pushing Daisies (as Olive Snook) showcased her comedic sparkle, earning an Emmy in 2009. With five Grammy nominations, two Emmys, and a Tony, she’s the epitome of versatility—belting show tunes one night, voicing Apple Bloom in My Little Pony the next.

Kristin’s path to Rockefeller was serendipitous: fresh off originating the role in The Queen of Versailles (a Broadway adaptation of the 2015 documentary, running through January 2026), she dashed from the theater to the plaza, still buzzing from her solo slot on Karen Carpenter’s “Merry Christmas Darling.” The duet with Reba wasn’t planned as the night’s pinnacle, but their shared roots—Oklahoma pride runs deep—ignited an alchemy of voices that felt predestined. “Singing with Reba? It’s like finding your harmony in heaven,” Kristin later shared in a post-show interview, her eyes misty. At 57, she’s thriving: a children’s book series under her belt, a starring role in the upcoming Netflix holiday rom-com A Very Merry Mix-Up, and advocacy for arts education through her foundation. Together, these two aren’t just performers; they’re preservers of a craft, turning “Silver Bells” into a bridge between generations.

A Night of Lights and Legends: The 2025 Rockefeller Spectacle

The 93rd Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting isn’t just an event; it’s a cultural rite, drawing 50,000 spectators annually to witness the illumination of a 75-foot Norway spruce from East Greenbush, New York—adorned with 50,000 multicolored LEDs and topped by a 900-pound Swarovski crystal star. Broadcast live from 8 p.m. ET on NBC, with TODAY anchors Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin as co-hosts, the two-hour special blended high-octane performances with heartfelt vignettes. Reba’s emcee duties infused it with her signature warmth: cracking jokes about her “Voice” coaching rivalries (“Blake Shelton who? Tonight, it’s all about the bells!”) and leading countdowns that had the crowd chanting in unison.

The lineup was a holiday fever dream: Gwen Stefani shook things up with “Shake the Snow Globe” from her 2025 album, donning a green gown for “You Make It Feel Like Christmas”; Michael Bublé crooned “Holly Jolly Christmas” with Carly Pearce, their duet a velvet-gloved charm offensive; Marc Anthony brought Latin fire to “Feliz Navidad” and “Christmas Auld Lang Syne”; Laufey evoked jazz-age whimsy with “Santa Baby”; Brad Paisley strummed “The First Noel”; New Edition closed the pre-lighting set with “Happy Holidays to You” and “It’s Christmas All Over the World”; and Halle Bailey delivered a soulful “Silent Night.” The Radio City Rockettes added precision dazzle with a high-kick medley to Mariah Carey’s “Oh Santa!,” their legs a blur of sequins and syncopation.

Amid the star wattage, Reba and Kristin’s “Silver Bells” stood apart—not for flash, but for intimacy. As snow machines dusted the stage and the tree’s lights twinkled in anticipation, their voices rose like a prayer: Reba’s alto grounding the melody with earthy resonance, Kristin’s soprano soaring on the choruses like a winter wind. The harmony hit fever pitch on the bridge—”Hear the bells ring, telling you it’s time”—drawing a collective sigh from the audience, phones forgotten in pockets. It wasn’t spectacle; it was sacrament, a fleeting pause where the city’s hum yielded to something softer, more eternal.

Harmony in the Heartland: Why This Duet Resonated So Deeply

In a holiday season shadowed by global unrest and personal hustles, the Reba-Kristin duet cut through like a clear bell toll. Both women hail from Oklahoma’s heartland—Reba from the ranchlands of Kiowa County, Kristin from the suburbs of Tulsa—instilling their music with an unpretentious authenticity that New York’s gloss can’t dim. “Silver Bells,” penned by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for the 1951 film Here Comes the Groom, evokes urban wonder: city sidewalks dressed in holiday style, bells ringing through the snow. Yet in their hands, it transcended nostalgia, becoming a balm for weary souls. Reba’s lived-in delivery—honed by decades of loss and triumph—added gravitas, while Kristin’s effervescent lift evoked childlike joy, their voices locking in a way that felt less like performance and more like communion.

The moment’s magic amplified the night’s themes: unity amid diversity. As co-hosts Guthrie, Roker, and Melvin shared stories of holiday traditions—from Al’s Harlem soul food feasts to Savannah’s Norwegian lefse—Reba bridged it all with her everyman charm. Backstage, she and Kristin shared a laugh over shared “Okie” quirks: Reba’s love of rodeo, Kristin’s for theater. “We might sing different genres, but we’re cut from the same cloth,” Kristin reflected, a nod to their mutual advocacy—Reba for rural education via her Reba’s Place restaurant proceeds, Kristin for LGBTQ+ youth through the Kristin Chenoweth Foundation.

Social media crowned it the night’s pinnacle: #OkieHarmony trended with 2.5 million mentions, clips remixed into holiday reels garnering 10 million plays. Even critics, often jaded by seasonal specials, praised its sincerity: “In a sea of sequins, this was the soul,” tweeted Variety‘s TV desk. For the live crowd—bundled in scarves, faces upturned to the 11-ton tree—the duet was cathartic, a prelude to the countdown that erupted in cheers as 50,000 lights blazed to life at 9:58 p.m.

Echoes of the Evening: A Sacred Spark for the Season

As the final notes of “Silver Bells” faded into the roar of the tree’s illumination, Reba and Kristin lingered arm-in-arm, waving to a sea of glowing faces. It wasn’t a grand exit; it was a gentle exhale, the kind that settles into your bones and warms you against the cold. In the hours since—just yesterday, in fact—this winter night has become legend, a reminder that the holidays’ true gifts aren’t wrapped in bows but found in voices raised together.

Reba McEntire and Kristin Chenoweth didn’t just sing “Silver Bells” at Rockefeller Center. They rang them—clear, true, and timeless—turning a fleeting performance into something almost sacred. As the 2025 holiday season unfurls, their harmony lingers like the first snow: soft, enveloping, and full of promise. In a world that often feels too loud, too fractured, moments like this whisper a simple truth: Sometimes, the best way to light the darkness is to sing through it, side by side.