Not Quite Almost Christmas Time

Australian musician and comedian (born 1994)

Tom CardyBorn (1994-06-12) 12 June 1994 (age 32)Sydney, AustraliaOccupationsComedianmusiciansongwriteractorYears active2013–presentComedy careerGenresMusical comedysurreal comedyobservational comedy

Websitecampsite.bio/tomycardy Tom Cardy (born 12 June 1994) is an Australian comedian, musician, songwriter, and actor. He became known in Australia for his "Song Sequels" segments on the radio station Triple J in 2020, and achieved more international recognition when he began posting comedy songs and videos on TikTok and YouTube. He has composed music for the comedy series The Feed and The Moth Effect, as well as the animated web series Helluva Boss. His debut EP, Artificial Intelligence (2021), peaked at No. 40 on the ARIA Albums Chart. He was shortlisted for the AACTA Award for Favourite Digital Content Creator and the Craft Award for Writing at the Streamy Awards.

[edit] Cardy was born in Sydney on 12 June 1994. He has two older sisters: Alex, a cinematographer, and Stephanie, a doctor. He and his sisters took piano and drum lessons during childhood at the behest of their parents, and he was the only one who chose to continue when their parents asked them if they wanted to stop. He studied music and psychology at the University of Sydney, then studied at technical and further education to sharpen his music production skills.

[edit] While at university, Cardy wrote and performed for several arts revues in addition to his own sold-out comedy festival shows. Around this time, he played drums for Sydney band the Lulu Raes. He also began regularly appearing on the Australian Dungeons & Dragons podcast Dragon Friends, where he participated as a player and provided musical accompaniment. In September 2020, he was featured on fellow musical comedian Bridie Connell's single "Armageddon (It On)". That year, he also began working with the radio station Triple J on its popular "Song Sequels" segments, in which he produces parodies of famous songs. Cardy released his debut single, "Mixed Messages", on 30 July 2021. He released his debut EP, Artificial Intelligence, the following week. On 12 August, he was a guest on Triple J's drive time program Hobba and Hing, where he discussed how the EP came to be made. Artificial Intelligence debuted at No. 40 on the ARIA Albums Chart. On 9 September, he released the single "Fruit Salad". On 20 October, he was nominated for the Craft Award for Writing at the 11th Streamy Awards. On 3 November, he was shortlisted for the audience-voted Favourite Digital Content Creator Award at the 11th AACTA Awards, but did not make it through to the list of five finalists. On 21 November, he released the Christmas-themed single "Not Quite Almost Christmas Time". On 23 January 2022, Cardy had two songs voted into Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2021 when "Mixed Messages" and "H.Y.C.Y.BH" were respectively ranked at No. 17 and No. 11. On 9 February, he was cast alongside musician Montaigne in the SBS musical comedy Time to Buy. Montaigne also featured on his song "Red Flags". On 17 February, he was a guest on Hobba & Hing, where he debuted a song about host Lewis Hobba called "Weird Guy", which was recorded as a prank during Hobba's COVID-induced absence. The song additionally features Montaigne. On 21 February, he was featured in an interview published by Rolling Stone Australia. In the interview, he discussed his sudden popularity on TikTok and explained that his success mostly comes from creating a number of extremely short songs designed to be shared online, some of which get expanded into full-length songs. On 6 August, he uploaded the video for a new song titled "Hey, I Don't Work Here" and announced that his debut studio album would be released in the near future. The album, titled Big Dumb Idiot, was released on 9 December 2022. In 2023, Cardy continued to release singles such as "H.S", "Beautiful Mind" (featuring Brian David Gilbert), and "Perception Check". In 2024, he co-wrote a song for the Orpheus DLC of the video game Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, which was released on 27 June. He also featured on the Ninja Sex Party song "Dance 'Til You Stop" and alongside Montaigne on the TWRP song "Online". His second studio album, The Dancefloor at the End of the Universe, was released on 18 October 2024. After the release of his second album, he continued to release singles such as "Walk" on 15th September 2025, and "Mind Fight" on 31st October 2025.

[edit] Cardy's style of musical comedy often incorporates elements of awkward humour, observational humour, and surreal humour.

[edit] Studio albums[edit]

List of studio albums, with title, release date, label, formats, and selected chart positions shown

Title

Studio album details

Peak chartpositions

AUS

Big Dumb Idiot

Released: 9 December 2022 Label: Independent Format: LP, digital download, streaming

—

The Dancefloor at the End of the Universe

Released: 18 October 2024 Label: Independent Formats: LP, digital download, streaming

—

Extended plays[edit]

List of EPs, with title, release date, label, formats, and selected chart positions shown

Title

Details

Peak position

AUS

Artificial Intelligence

Released: 6 August 2021 Label: Independent Format: LP, digital download, streaming

40

Singles[edit] As lead artist[edit]

List of singles as lead artist, with title, year released, and album details shown

Title

Year

Album

"Mixed Messages"

2021

Artificial Intelligence

[edit]

List of television and film appearances, with year, title, role, notes, and reference shown

Year

Title

Role

Notes

Ref.

2017

On the Fringe

Reuben

TV series

2021

The Feed Presents: Cancelled!

Various Characters

TV special

2022

Time to Buy

Virtual Real Estate Agent

SBS musical comedy

2023

Helluva Boss

Composer, vocalist

Web series

2026

The Legend of Vox Machina

TBA

TV Series

[edit] AACTA Awards[edit] Main article: AACTA Awards

Year

Nominee / work

Award

Result

Ref.

2021

Himself

Favourite Digital Content Creator

Shortlisted

Streamy Awards[edit] Main article: Streamy Awards

Year

Nominee / work

Award

Result

Ref.

2021

Himself

Craft Award for Writing

Nominated

Tom Cardy’s charm lies in his ability to slip absurdist jokes into catchy pop hooks, and "Not Quite Almost Christmas Time" is a perfect example of that alchemy. The song captures the liminal feeling of the holiday rush – the half‑finished decorations, the last‑minute shopping panic and the inevitable cringe‑worthy family playlists. Its upbeat tempo and tongue‑in‑cheek lyrics make it a safe background for office parties where you need something festive without the saccharine overload of traditional carols. Because it’s not overtly religious or overly sentimental, it slips easily into multicultural office playlists, keeping the mood light while still signalling the season.

Treat the song as a bridge between the earnest classics and the more tongue‑in‑cheek modern releases. Start your Christmas party playlist with a few traditional numbers to set the mood, then drop Cardy’s track just before the peak of the evening – it lifts the energy just enough to nudge guests onto the dance floor. If you’re curating a family gathering, cue it after the kids’ sing‑along session; the witty lyrics will amuse adults while the bouncy beat keeps the youngsters moving. For streaming, add it to a “Quirky Xmas” or “Alternative Holiday Tunes” playlist to attract listeners who want a fresh, comedic spin on the season.

Many hear the song’s infectious chorus and assume it’s simply a novelty single. In reality, Cardy is lampooning the commercial frenzy that surrounds the period leading up to December 25th. The verses pepper in observations about how we rush to buy the perfect gift, binge‑watch every winter special, and pretend to love every over‑the‑top decoration. The humour works because it’s rooted in shared anxiety – the very thing that makes the season both stressful and endearing. Recognising this layer adds depth to the listening experience and turns a simple chuckle into a moment of reflective amusement.