The 31-year-old Colombian singer will be lending her voice to the film soundtrack for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Karol G has recorded the single “La Vida es Una” for the soundtrack.
The Ovy on the Drums-produced single is a vibrant reggaeton track with a flair of flamenco guitars in honor of Antonio Banderas, who returns as the voice of the notorious PiB.
The animated film, which comes 11 years after the premiere of the 2011 film Puss in Boots, will open in theaters this Christmas.
The 49-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer and his fellow Backstreet Boys have released a new music video for their holiday track “Christmas in New York.”
The sweet and sentimental visual sees the quintet — Nick Carter, Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson — passionately singing the holiday track while their claymation counterparts explore a twinkling New York City during Christmas time.
The claymation dolls of the boy group witness and participate in classic scenes.
One features a dressed up Santa with an elf at his side ringing a bells and asking for donations with a big red bucket. The dolls head down to the TV-decorated intersection of Times Square, take a horse-drawn carriage ride in Central Park, view the holiday windows at Macy’s 34th street and go ice-skating in Rockefeller Center.
“All the elves are busy/ On Macy’s eighth floor/ It’s good to know there is still a miracle on 34th/ But what I love the most/ Is holding you this close/ This is what they made the Season for/ Oh, spending Christmas in/ Oh, another Christmas in/ Oh, yes, another Christmas in New York,” Littrell closes out the song with the rest of the members.
“Christmas in New York” hails from the boy band’s A Very Backstreet Christmas. The LP — which marked the group’s first collection of yuletide songs and its first studio effort in three years — was released on October 14 via BMG. The set charted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 following its release.
In addition to “Christmas in New York,” other holiday tracks like “White Christmas,” “Silent Night,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” are included on the album.
“Christmas in New York” is one of three original Christmas songs on the album; the others are titled “Together” and “Happy Days.”
The 28-year-old Colombian Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter has joined voices with Rita Wilson to record the new track “Til You’re Home” for the upcoming film A Man Called Otto starring Wilson’s husband Tom Hanks.
“I am extremely honored by Rita Wilson’s invitation to join her on ‘Til You’re Home’ for the A Man Called Otto soundtrack,” Yatra said in a statement. “The story behind the film is heartwarming and moving and I was inspired to convey that emotion in this song. Overall, this project has been very inspiring and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
“Til You’re Home” was co-written by Wilson and Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer David Hodges. Its co-producers include Wilson and Grammy winner Matt Rollings.
The song, with its warm, inviting vocals over a piano, is already receiving recognition, as it was nominated for best song in a film (independent) at the 2022 Hollywood in Music Media Awards.
The collaboration is a first for Wilson and Yatra, which was sparked after the director ofA Man Called Otto, Marc Forster, asked Wilson to write a song for the film.
“I was very humbled and grateful for the opportunity, but also made him promise to be honest with me if he didn’t want to use the song. As the producer of the film, my first allegiance is to the film and to the director’s vision,” Wilson said. “David Hodges and I had written together before and have always been like-minded musically and lyrically. A lot of the inspiration began with David Magee’s script. This is a movie about love, the depths of love and how love continues even after a person leaves this earth,” she continued.
“There are two LatinX characters in the film – I wanted to find a way to bring them into the song,” Wilson added. “I envisioned it as a duet… I have loved Sebastián Yatra’s voice since hearing him in Encanto, and he felt like the perfect person to do it. We were incredibly lucky he said ‘yes’ and all the planets aligned.”
A Man Called Otto — which hits theaters on Christmas Day — tells the story of Otto Anderson (Hanks), someone who no longer sees purpose in life after losing his wife. He plans to end it all, but his plan is derailed when a young family moves next door and he meets his match in the character Marisol, who challenges Anderson to see life through a different lens, leading to a friendship that changes his life for the better.
The A Man Called Otto soundtrack album, featuring composer Thomas Newman’s score and “Til You’re Home,” will be released December 30 via Decca Records.
It’s a Christmas season to remember for Howie Dorough…
The 49-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer and his Backstreet Boys band mates have dashed to No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult ContemporaryRadio Airplay chart dated December 3, reflecting plays in the Nov. 21-27 tracking week, according to Luminate.
The Backstreet Boys notche their third Adult Contemporary No. 1 and first since its pop classic “I Want It That Way” reigned for 10 weeks beginning in July 1999.
The act first led with “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” for seven weeks starting in October 1998.
Backstreet Boys’ triumphant return to the AC summit grants them the record for the longest break between No. 1s among groups: a week shy of exactly 23 years since the last frame on top for “I Want It That Way.”
Among all acts, only Elton John has waited longer between time at No. 1 (23 years, 11 months and a week between “Something About the Way You Look Tonight” in 1998 and “Merry Christmas,” with Ed Sheeran, last holiday season).
Among groups, Backstreet Boys pass the Eagles (a week short of 20 years between “Best of My Love” in 1975 and “Love Will Keep Us Alive” in 1995).
Released in 1984, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” — written and produced by George Michael — re-enters the all-genre, multi-metric Billboard Hot 100 at No. 23. The song hit the top 10 for the first time in the 2020 holiday season and reached a No. 7 best last season. On the Holiday 100, the carol ranks at No. 6 as the survey returns.
With the original receiving strong airplay, and streams, each holiday season – Wham’s version ranks at No. 5 on the December 3-dated Holiday Airplay list with 19.8 million audience impressions – charted covers of “Last Christmas” have been rare, although all by high-profile acts.
The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer, the self-proclaimed Queen of Christmas, rules Billboard’s Holiday 100 with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
Carey’s insta-classic holiday single notches its 52nd week at the top of the chart, which ranks the top seasonal songs of all eras via the same formula used for the Billboard 100, blending streaming, airplay and sales data.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” has appeared on the chart for a total of 57 weeks since the list launched in 2011; it has topped the seasonal survey for 37 consecutive weeks, dating to the start of the 2015-16 holiday season.
The holiday single also surges from No. 25 to No. 5 on the Hot 100.
The only other Holiday 100 No. 1s to date: Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe,” for a week in the 2011-12 holiday season; Pentatonix’s “Little Drummer Boy” (one, 2013-14) and “Mary, Did You Know?” (two, 2014-15); and Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (one, 2014-15).
Carey’s 1994 carol crowns all three Holiday 100 component charts (with all surveys dated December 3): Holiday Streaming Songs (21.5 million streams, up 54%, in the Nov. 18-24 tracking week, according to Luminate); Holiday Airplay (20.6 million airplay audience impressions, up 80%); and Holiday Digital Song Sales (3,000 sold, up 57%).
“When I wrote [it], I had absolutely no idea the impact the song would eventually have worldwide,” Carey marveled of “Christmas” last year. “I’m so full of gratitude that so many people enjoy it with me every year.”
The 22-year-old Colombian singer is among the artists chosen by Amazon Music to cover beloved holiday songs exclusively for the music streaming company leading up to Christmas.
Turizo is slated to perform Mariah Carey’s insta-classic “All I Want For Christmas is You.”
Other songs by Latinx artists include “En lo Alto Gloria” by Majo y Danand Alex Zurdo, “Gozo y Paz” by Blanca and Alex Campos, “La Marimorena” by Demarco Flamenco and “Dime Navidad” by Edurne.
While some of the covers are currently available to stream on Amazon Music, more will be rolled out through the holiday season.
Here’s the full list of original holiday tracks from Amazon Music:
Amazon Original Holiday Tracklist “Someday at Christmas” by Lizzo
“Blue Christmas” by Kane Brown
“The First Noel” by GIVĒON
“Last Christmas” by Lauren Spencer Smith
“Firebabe” (Orchestral Version) by Stormzy
“Amazing Grace” by DVSN
“All I Want (For Christmas)” by Zoe Wees
“In the Bleak Midwinter” by Alexis Ffrench
“Together This Christmas” by Maisie Peters
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Manuel Turizo
“Christmas Lights” by Amy Shark
“En lo Alto Gloria” by Majo y Dan and Alex Zurdo
“Mon Beau Sapin” by Kendji Girac
“Jingle Bells” by Sam Ryder
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Priya Ragu
“Pastello Bianco” by Pinguini Tattici Nucleari
“Gozo y Paz” by Blanca and Alex Campos
“La Marimorena” by Demarco Flamenco
“Who Would Imagine a King” by Budjerah
“Dime Navidad” by Edurne
“El Hijo Ausente” by Rafa Pérez
Mariah Carey is ready to spread a little holiday cheer…
The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer, also known as the Queen of Christmas, is returning with a two-hour primetime holiday concert special next month.
CBS will present Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!on Tuesday, December 20 from 8:00-10:00 pm, ET/PT. The show will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Filmed in New York City at Madison Square Garden, the concert special will feature the singer-songwriter performing a repertoire of her festive holiday hits, including the perennial favorite, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
MTV will offer additional opportunities to view the special after the CBS broadcast.
Carey is the best-selling female artist of all-time, with more than 200 million albums sold to-date and 19 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles. She is also an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has been recognized with multiple Grammy Awards, numerous American Music Awards, three Guinness World Record titles, both Billboard’s Artist of the Decade and Icon awards, the World Music Award for World’s Best Selling Female Artistof the Millennium, the Ivor Novello Award for PRS for Music Special International Award and BMI’s Icon Award for her outstanding achievements in songwriting.
Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas To All! is a coproduction of Sony Music Entertainment and Supply & Demand. Carey, Joseph Kahn, Charleen Manca and Nicola Doring are executive producers. Sony Music Entertainment is distributing the special.
Def Jam Recordings and 4th & Broadway have released a new compilation album featuring the 34-year-old part-Dominican American singer and others singing traditional Christmas songs and original holiday tracks.
Titled Def The Halls, the holiday album also features Coco Jones, Alessia Cara and others,
The album follows the 2019 EP A Def Jam Christmas, which first featured Cara’s “Make It To Christmas.” That song also appears on this new release, alongside August 08’s reworking of “Silent Night” and Aiko’s 2013 ballad “Wrap Me Up.”
Other notables include Jones’ new “Silver Bells” and North Carolina’s Mikhala Jené, who gives an R&B twist to two modern holiday classics: “This Christmas” (from Donny Hathaway) and “Please Come Home For Christmas” (from Charles Brown). Los Angeles duo Calabasas pay homage to the beloved ’80s duo, Wham! with their rendition of “Last Christmas.”
The original Christmas tunes “BBC” by DaniLeigh, and “Underneath The Mistletoe” by August 08 are both collaborations with rising star Kendra Jae. Another duet brings together 4th & Broadway’s Kidd Kenn and Pap Chanel on “Naughty.”
Def the Halls is rounded out by the originals “Trinket” by UK artist Debbie, “Christmas” by global Latin-pop star Trinidad Cardona, “Cold With You” by young Anaheim rapper OHNO, “Everyday” from Kennedy Stephens, “Snowed In” by newly-signed St. Louis artist Bry Bee, and “A Hoe’s Christmas” by Broadway actress Jai’Len Josey.
“Def The Halls” tracklist: Mikhala Jene – Please Come Home For Christmas
Alessia Cara – Make It To Christmas
Trinidad Cardona – Christmas With You
August 08, Kendra Jae – Underneath The Mistletoe
Debbie – Trinket
Calabasas – Last Christmas
DaniLeigh – BBC (ft. Kendra Jae)
Jhené Aiko – Wrap Me Up
Coco Jones – Silver Bells
OHNO – Cold With You
Kennedy Stephens – Everyday
Mikhala Jene – This Christmas
Kidd Kenn, Pap Chanel – Naughty
Jai’Len Josey – A Hoe’s Christmas
It’s a pre-Christmas gift for Howie Dorough and his fellow Backstreet Boys…
The 49-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer and his band mates debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Holiday Albums chart with the group’s first seasonal effort, A Very Backstreet Christmas.
The set launches atop the list dated October 29 with 20,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending October 20, according to Luminate.
The seasonal Top Holiday Albums chart returned to Billboard’s weekly chart menu for the current season with the October 22-dated chart. That week, the top debut was Lindsey Stirling’s Snow Waltz at No. 2, while the soundtrack to Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas spent a 12th nonconsecutive week atop the list.
Top Holiday Albums will continue to be published on a weekly basis through January of 2023, when it will dash away until the next holiday season. (The chart generally returns every October.)
The Top Holiday Albums chart ranks the 50 most popular seasonal albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each units equals one album sales, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.
The Oct. 29-dated Top Holiday Albums chart is populated by festive favorites that have decorated the chart through the years, including Michael Bublé’s Christmas, Mariah Carey’sMerry Christmas, Josh Groban’s Noel, Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas (the survey’s all-time top title) and Carrie Underwood’s My Gift.
Mariah Carey is planning for an extra special holiday season.
The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and actress, the Queen of Christmas, has revealed plans to perform a pair of Christmas shows.
Carey will deck the halls with all her jingle bell best during a set of her classic holiday songs.
“It’s almost time NEW YORK + Toronto!!!” she wrote. “Come celebrate Christmas with me this December! lil’ excited lil’ excited to be back on stage and get festive with everybody!!”
Tickets for the shows — December 11 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, December 13 at Madison Square Garden in New York — will go on sale on Friday (October 28) at 10:00 am ET on Ticketmaster.
According to a release, these will be Mariah’s only Christmas concerts this yuletide season and fans purchase a ticket will also get a chance to buy an exclusive t-shirt and a copy of the singer’s illustrated holiday fairytale book, The Christmas Princess, which is due out on November 1.
The announcement also tees up the annual chart watch to see if Carey’s perennial Christmas classic, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” will hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a fourth year in a row.
Last week, the Christmas Queen got fans excited to get in the spirit by teasing the kick-off to “All I Want for Christmas Is You” season by tweeting, “It’s almost time…,” in which she showed off her festive red robe draped on the steps leading to her luxurious jacuzzi-style bathtub. The scene was filled out with a giant display of red and white roses spelling out her initials.
But, before you get too revved up, as the first, twinkly notes of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” bubbled up, Mariah tapped the brakes and in a follow-up tweet cautioned, “Not yet.”
Karol G has recorded the single “La Vida es Una” for the soundtrack.
