Jennifer Hudson announces her Christmas Album, Creating a Buzz among Fans
Jennifer Hudson is set to delight her fans with an album of Christmas songs.
The actress and singer is set to release her first Christmas album titled “The Gift Of Love,” which is set to drop on October 18. She announced the news on Friday, September 6.
Hudson, 42, teased the album on her Instagram, in which she was pictured standing next to a Christmas tree that had gifts underneath it and singing a jazzy version of “Jingle Bells.” In the caption she wrote, “I can’t wait for it to be yours!”
Jennifer Hudson’s talk show host also recruited her boyfriend Common to join her on the new song “Almost Christmas,” while South African quintet The Joy is featured on the classic “Carol of the Bells.”
The Gift of Love will be the first album in 10 years for Hudson, whose talk show is set to return on September 16 for a third season. Her last album, JHUD, came out in 2014 and reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Also, read – Hugh Jackman’s Thirst Trap Photo While Preparing for Deadpool and Wolverine
The Holiday album track listing consists of:
1. Hallelujah
2. Winter Wonderland
3. Carol of the Bells (featuring The Joy)
4. Find The Love
5. O Holy Night
6. Make It To Christmas
7. Santa to Someone
8. My Favorite Things
9. Little Drummer Boy
10. Go Tell It On The Mountain
11. Almost Christmas (featuring Common)
12. Jingle Bells (Prelude)
13. Jingle Bells
14. The Christmas Song
15. Auld Lang Syne
How did Jennifer Hudson Get Famous?
Before gaining fame as a contestant on Season 3 of American Idol in 2004, Hudson grew up in Chicago, performing in her church choir and graduating from the Dunbar Vocational Career Academy in 1999. When auditioning for American Idol, Hudson told the judges that she had been a cruise ship performer on Disney cruise lines. Proving that her talent outweighed the maritime stage, Hudson swept the competition, earning widespread adoration with her top 9 performance of Elton John’s “Circle of Life.”
One of the biggest surprises of Idol season 3 was when Hudson was eliminated after the top 7 performances, despite being considered the favourite. The season 3 champion was Fantasia Barrino Taylor, but don’t worry: Hudson’s career was gaining momentum.
Hudson’s breakout role was in the 2006 film adaptation of the musical drama Dreamgirls. After auditioning against hundreds of performers, Hudson was cast alongside Beyoncé, Anika Noni Rose, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy. Hudson played the soulful Effie White in the drama.
Hudson’s performance in Dreamgirls earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2007, as well as a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Shortly after starting recording her debut studio album, Jennifer Hudson, which she released in 2008, debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 and earned four nominations at the 2009 Grammys, where she won Best R&B Album.
In 2011, Hudson released her second studio album, I Remember Me, which stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks. Inspired by her love of the sound of the 1970s, Hudson released her third and most recent album to date, JHUD, in 2014. JHUD’s song “It’s Your World” earned a Grammy nomination at the 57th Grammy Awards.
Hudson made her Broadway debut as a performer in the 2004 New Amsterdam Theatre production of Hair and, in 2006, starred in the Broadway production of Whorehouse in Texas as Jewel.
But her breakout role on Broadway was as Shug Avery in the 2015 revival of the musical The Color Purple.
In 2008, Hudson appeared in the film version of Sex and the City. That same year, Hudson starred in The Secret Life of Bees. In 2009, Hudson starred in the psychological drama Fragments as Kathy Archenault.
In 2012, Hudson took on the role of Sister Rosemary in the film adaptation of The Three Stooges. Since then, Hudson has starred in several dramas, including The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013), Lullaby (2015), Sandy Wexler (2017), and Monster (2018).