Melanie Thornton's holiday hit lives on despite tragic end
In November 2001, Melanie Thornton recorded a song that quickly became a hit. Today, it is primarily associated with a holiday advertisement for a well-known brand. Tragically, the singer died shortly afterward in a plane crash.
"All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey and "Last Christmas" by Wham! are well-known holiday hits that we hear yearly during the November-December season. However, they are not the only ones that gained immense popularity in the ’90s and 2000s. Another such song is Melanie Thornton's "Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming)".
She recorded the song "Wonderful Dream"
The song "Wonderful Dream" gained global popularity thanks to Coca-Cola, which featured it in one of its holiday commercials. At the company's request, Melanie Thornton recorded the song, which has since been covered numerous times.
However, Melanie Thornton did not live to enjoy her moment in the spotlight. The song "Wonderful Dream" was included on her album, which was released in early November 2001. Tragically, shortly afterward, Thornton died in a plane crash.
The tragic death of Melanie Thornton
Melanie Thornton died on November 24, 2001, in the crash of Crossair Flight 3597 near Zurich. She was flying from Berlin as part of a concert tour promoting her album "Ready to Fly." The singer was 34 years old at the time. Besides her, 24 other people lost their lives in the crash.
According to media reports, the plane carrying Thornton clipped the tops of trees while approaching the landing. The crash occurred just a few miles from the runway. A later investigation revealed that the pilot had not checked altitude and distance indicators during the flight. Additionally, he had failed navigation exams.
