Since shooting to fame as an X Factor finalist, Talia has become a regular collaborator of Sir Brian May. And now their latest track is a Christmas anthem called Praise Your Name, featuring the singer’s powerful vocals, an iconic solo by the Queen guitarist and an award-winning Catholic Gospel Choir. Sir Brian May spoke exclusively with Daily Express about the new single, which is already No 1 on the Gospel and Christian Top 100 chart.

The 78-year-old rocker shared: “It’s the most epic Christmas single ever! We’ve been making it for about 18 months. We narrowly missed last Christmas, so we had a little chance to work on it since then. It’s great. I’m really very fond of it. It’s much more religious than I usually go for, but I figure everybody is okay with religion at Christmas time, because what’s Christmas about? It’s about the baby Jesus and also your connection with God, the way you see it. So that’s what this record is about. It’s got lots of guitars on it. Talia wrote it. She has a very creative way of looking at things. It’s not complex, but it’s epic, I would say. And to me, it’s quite moving, and I’m proud of the way it sounds. I played lots of guitar on it. It’s called Praise Your Name.”

Talia, who will be on BBC’s Songs of Praise on November 30, shared: “I sat in the studio with Pete Barringer, I told him my testimony and we created this beautiful masterpiece together with sensitivity and worship. As I always do, I played the song to Sir Brian my trusted friend and godfather to my child. He fell in love with the uplifting affirmation and wanted to help produce the record and play a guitar solo on it.”

The singer, who has a newfound Christian faith, added: “God came into my life when I needed him the most, I was so lost and broken. The sign he gave me was unmistakable and I knew he was real. It was right to dedicate this song to Christ and praise His name at Christmas.”

TALIA: Christmas by Candlelight with special guest is Talia’s first concert in the world of worship music, is taking place in London on December 20 and can be booked here.

Praise Your Name is out now and can be listened to and downloaded on Apple Music here.