The Gift of Love is the fourth studio album and first Christmas album by American singer Jennifer Hudson. It was released on October 18, 2024, by Interscope Records.[1] Her first album since JHUD (2014), it features four original songs and ten covers of Christmas standards and carols, two are collaborations with The Joy and Common.[2][3]
| The Gift of Love | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 18, 2024 | |||
| Recorded | 2024 | |||
| Genre | Christmas | |||
| Length | 52:33 | |||
| Label | Interscope | |||
| Producer |
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| Jennifer Hudson chronology | ||||
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Background and recording
editAfter her third studio album JHUD, published in September 2014 through RCA Records, Hudson signed a record deal with Epic Records in June 2016.[4] It was announced a new record project for the singer, under Clive Davis executive production, publishing the single.[5][6] Despite the record deal, between 2016 and 2020 Hudson did not published an album, focusing on television and films.[7] In December 2020 she collaborated on Mariah Carey single "Oh Santa!" with Ariana Grande. In 2021 she recorded Respect: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack through Epic Records and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Music, as the soundtrack album to the 2021 biographical film Respect in which Hudson acted as Aretha Franklin.[8]
In August 2023, Hudson announced she was working on a new album during her talk show The Jennifer Hudson Show.[9] In September 2024 Interscope Records announced to have signed music contract with Hudson.[10] Hudson began recording the album after her talk show went on hiatus for the summer.[11][12] In a interview Hudson explained the decision to recorded a Christmas song album:[11]
"I feel like it hasn’t been [a decade] because I sing through everything I do. Through films, commercials, different things, I have never stopped singing. So I didn’t notice that I hadn’t had an official Jennifer Hudson album. But time flies, especially when you’re busy and I’ve been a busy girl. [...] What better way to come back than a Christmas album? It’s been a dream of mine my whole career. I’m a holiday fanatic, so it just makes sense. [...] Holiday music, at least to me, is sentimental. So, like, "The Christmas Song", my grandmother loved this song, so it reminds me of my upbringing and the songs that my grandmother loved or that I used to hear around the house during the holidays"
Promotions
editHudson embraced The Gift of Love: An Intimate Live Experience, a tour in the United State which will begin November 24, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York City, and will ended in Las Vegas on December 22, 2024.[13][14]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [15] |
Andy Kellman of AllMusic wrote that the album "has all the trimmings that are to be expected from a holiday recording by a prominent powerhouse" with "tastefully ornate framework with lavish strings and brass, plus robust gospel choirs". Kellman appriciated both her performance in the classic Christmas songs and in the new co-written songs, highlighting "Almost Christmas" where there are "Common with Hudson enhancing the sentiments with graceful and romantic punctuation".[15]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hallelujah" | Leonard Cohen | 6:45 | |
| 2. | "Winter Wonderland" |
| 2:21 | |
| 3. | "Carol of the Bells" (featuring The Joy) |
|
| 2:33 |
| 4. | "Find the Love" |
|
| 2:56 |
| 5. | "O Holy Night" |
| 4:24 | |
| 6. | "Make It to Christmas" |
|
| 3:38 |
| 7. | "Santa for Someone" |
| Vindver | 3:23 |
| 8. | "My Favorite Things" |
|
| 3:36 |
| 9. | "Little Drummer Boy" |
|
| 3:31 |
| 10. | "Go Tell It on the Mountain" |
|
| 3:57 |
| 11. | "Almost Christmas" (featuring Common) |
| Poyser | 3:29 |
| 12. | "Jingle Bells (Prelude)" | James Lord Pierpont | Poyser | 1:01 |
| 13. | "Jingle Bells" | Pierpont | Poyser | 2:09 |
| 14. | "The Christmas Song" |
| Foster | 4:04 |
| 15. | "Auld Lang Syne" | Robert Burns | Greg Phillinganes | 4:38 |
Charts
edit| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard)[16] | 10 |
References
edit- ^ Mier, Tomás (September 7, 2024). "Jennifer Hudson Announces First-Ever Christmas Album 'The Gift of Love'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
- ^ Muhammad, Latifah (November 7, 2024). "Jennifer Hudson Is Ready for the Holidays: 'It's Just a Beautiful Synergy in the Air'". Billbaord. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (September 18, 2024). "Jennifer Hudson Teams With Hallmark to Launch Holiday Season With Soaring 'Let There Be Joy' Single". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ "Jennifer Hudson Signs with Epic Records". Rap-Up. June 28, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (June 28, 2018). "Jennifer Hudson Signs With Epic Records". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Hussein, Wandera (January 3, 2018). "Jennifer Hudson's Emotional #BurdenDownChallenge Has Fans Freeing Themselves Through Music". Billboard.com. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ Wood, Mikael (December 21, 2019). "In 'Cats,' 'Memory' is a 'popera' furball, but don't blame Jennifer Hudson". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Mitchell, Gail (June 16, 2021). "Jennifer Hudson, Carole King Co-Write Original Song for Aretha Franklin Biopic 'Respect': Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ "Jennifer Hudson Reveals Plans for New Music: She's Working on an Album 'Soon' | JenniferHudsonShow.com". Jennifer Hudson Show. August 3, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Garcia, Thania (September 4, 2024). "Jennifer Hudson Signs to Interscope Records". Variety. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ a b Arnold, Chuck (October 23, 2024). "Jennifer Hudson on her Christmas album, romance with Common". New York Post. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Smyth, Tom (October 18, 2024). "Jennifer Hudson Has Done It All, And That Now Includes A Christmas Album". The Recording Academy. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Sharpe, Josh (September 18, 2024). "Jennifer Hudson to Tour 'The Gift of Love: An Intimate Live Experience'". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ Fields, Taylor (November 5, 2024). "Jennifer Hudson Giving 'The Gift Of Love' With Holiday Tour". iHeartRadio. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ a b "The Gift of Love – Jennifer Hudson". AllMusic. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
- ^ "Jennifer Hudson Chart History (Holiday Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2024.