Sabrina Claudio Releases “Christmas Blues,” Her Holiday Duet with The Weeknd

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Sabrina Claudio is getting into the holiday spirit with a big name star…

The 24-year-old Puerto Rican/Cuban singer-songwriter has joined voices with The Weeknd for the holiday song “Christmas Blues.”

“It’s been a long year / The toughest of my life so far,” Claudio sings to open the track, which would normally be an eyebrow-raising beginning to a holiday song, but in 2020, it’s about par for the course.

On the new track, which highlights Claudio’s eight-song Christmas project of the same name, she taps The Weeknd for the sensual duet, both longing for a feeling of calm with a loved one at the end of a tumultuous year.

“Christmas Blues” combines the talents of a pop superstar and underrated R&B artist for a smart, soothing twist on your typical holiday fare.

This marks Claudio’s first-ever Christmas album. It contains five original songs, as well as three cover songs.

In addition the The Weeknd, the album features guest appearances from Alicia Keys. It was produced by Adam Messinger, Kaveh Rastegar, Nasri Atweh and Sad Money.

Kirstin Maldonado & Her Pentatonix Group Mates Release New Single “Thank You”

Posted on November 26, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Kirstin Maldonado is singing a little appreciation…

The 28-year-old Mexican & Spanish American singer and her Pentatonix group mates have released the single “Thank You,” as their way of show what they’re grateful of despite 2020 being unlike any other year.

In their heartfelt new video for their holiday song, “Thank You,” Maldonado and the rest of the five-piece a capella group are seen building snowmen, having a snowball fight, enjoying a family dinner and chatting with loved ones safely and virtually.

“Thank you for your smile / It’s warmer than the fire / Your gentle laughter / Is sweeter than a choir,” the group sings in the chorus.

“Thank You” is featured on Pentatonix’s festive album, We Need A Little Christmas, which dropped earlier this month.

The group performed at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday (Nov. 27), and will join NBC‘s Christmas in Rockefeller Center next Wednesday, December 2.

Jesse y Joy Release Latin Rendition of the Holiday Classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” for Amazon Music Lat!n

Posted on November 22, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Jesse y Joy are hoping to get you into the holiday spirit…

Amazon Music LAT!N has launched a wave of festive content to get music lovers in the holiday spirit, from themed playlists to video interviews, and beyond, including an Amazon Original song from the Mexican Latin Grammy-winning brother & sister duo.

Kicking off this weekend, customers can enjoy Jesse y Joy’s Amazon Original song “Te Deseo Muy Felices Fiestas,”a Latin rendition of the holiday classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

The Mexican duo is also teaming up with Amazon and its “Delivering Smiles” holiday campaign to give back to charitable organizations and the communities they serve this season.

Lele Pons gives the timeless song “Let It Snow” a Spanglish tropical twist in “Let It Snow (Navidad, Navidad, Navidad).”

“Lele Pons and Jesse & Joy are incredibly talented artists who are chart-toppers in their respective genres, so we knew they would create something very unique, exciting, and fresh- and they also share our passion for the holidays,” says Rocio Guerrero, global head of Latin Music at Amazon Music. “Their bilingual takes on classic tunes will delight fans.”

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Jose Feliciano’s iconic holiday classic “Feliz Navidad,” 30 artists including CNCO, Jon Secada, Frankie J, Jencarlos Canela, Pablo Montero, Julio Iglesias, Jr., , Jason Mraz, Gloria Gaynor, Patricia Manterola, and Lin-Manuel Miranda have joined forces for a special anniversary edition.

“Jose Feliciano’s ‘Feliz Navidad’ has been part of our holiday celebrations for generations! The opportunity to bring fans a fresh take on this beloved classic in honor of the song’s 50th Anniversary was a joy,” Guerrero says.

“Christmas is such a special time and we as a team were so excited to bring reimagined holiday favorites for our fans to enjoy,” Guerrero adds. “To bring fans extra holiday joy, we worked on exclusive holiday-themed content to go along with each song, as well as playlists to get fans through the season.”

According to Guerrero, Amazon does not plan on releasing more original Latin holiday songs, but fans will be able to enjoy the exclusive Christmas-themed content throughout the season. Listen and watch it here.

Mariah Carey’s New Holiday Program “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special” to Premiere on AppleTV+ in Early December

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey will be celebrating Christmas in a special way this year.

AppleTV+ has revealed the premiere date, special guests and musical appearances for the 51-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning songstress and unofficial Queen of Christmas’ holiday special.

Hitting the Apple streaming platform on Friday, December 4, Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special will spread holiday cheer with an all-star lineup of guests including Tiffany Haddish, Billy Eichner, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Misty Copeland and Mykal-Michelle Harris.

While the special touts an impressive list of pop culture figures, the holiday show wouldn’t be complete with equally impressive musical guests.

Set to join the singer are also Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson, who will perform alongside Carey for their holiday number “Oh Santa!” The song and music video will be distributed by Sony Music and released on Apple Music and other streaming platforms on the special’s premiere date. Carey had previously teased the special collaboration on social media, sharing a shot of three directors chairs with her, Grande and Hudson’s initials printed on them.

Accompanying the AppleTV+ holiday special will be the Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special soundtrack full of new versions of holiday classics. Snoop Dogg, Jermain Dupri will also appear on the soundtrack available exclusively on Apple Music on December 4, and all other platforms on December 11.

Following the premiere of Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special, AppleTV+ will release an exclusive interview between Zane Lowe and Carey. In the conversation, Carey will share her favorite holiday songs, talk new music and her memoire and more.

Hamish Hamilton and Roman Coppola direct, and also serve as executive producers for the Caroline Fox-written special.

Amanda Tavarez to Star in OWN’s Original Holiday Movie “First Christmas”

Posted on November 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Amanda Tavarez is ready for her OWN Christmas…

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has expanded its holiday season programming with the new original holiday movie First Christmas, starring the Dominican American actress.

First Christmas, which also stars Idara Victor and Tonea Stewart, will premiere on Tuesday, December 22. The movie joins the previously announced Our OWN Christmas gospel music special hosted by Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin, which airs on Tuesday, December 1 at 9:00 pm ET/PT.

Given up for adoption and placed in foster care at a young age, writer Halle Downing receives the blessing of a lifetime when she’s invited to spend Christmas in New Orleans with the biological family she never knew she had – The Moores. Halle’s grandmother “Memaw” welcomes the young woman with open arms, completely overwhelming Halle with emotion at the significance of finally finding her family. Extremely excited to meet her twin siblings Tiffany (Samantha Smith) and Glenn (Mason Beauchamp) along with younger brother Drew (Peyton Jackson) for the first time, Halle soon faces the hard reality that finding her place in this close-knit family is going to take longer than she thought, something that becomes particularly evident when she witnesses Tiffany’s apprehension about introducing her new girlfriend Paris (Tavarez) to the family for the first time. However, as Christmas approaches, Halle begins to gain perspective on the Moore family dynamic and ultimately comes to embrace and celebrate her first family holiday with a special gift that tells her she is right where she is supposed to be.

First Christmas is produced for OWN by MarVista in association with Harpo Films.

Tavarez’s previous credits include Queen Sugar, Dynasty, Cake: The Series and The Resident.

Juanes to Host Star-Studded Christmas Musical Special “Celebremos: Eterna Navidad”

Posted on November 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Juanes is getting into the holiday spirit…

The 45-year-old Colombian superstar and his wife Karen Martínez are set to host a star-studded Christmas special that will stream only on Pantaya, according to Billboard.

Titled Celebremos: Eterna Navidad, the musical event — produced by streaming service Lionsgate‘s Pantaya, Universal Music Group, Elefantec Global and Plataforma — will feature performances by Alejandro Fernández, Danna Paola, Gloria Trevi and Los Tigres del Norte, among many others.

“We all need a little extra Christmas cheer this year and what better way to bring people together than by a holiday special featuring joyful music and celebrity fun,” said Mario Almeida, Pantaya vice president of programming, development, and acquisitions. “We are excited to be working with the biggest names in Latinx entertainment and to partner with Pepe Baston’s Elefantec Global, Plataforma and Universal Music Group.”

The holiday special will also include other guests, including actors Aislinn Derbez, Ana De La Reguera, Sebastian Zurita and Ricardo O’Farrill, and renowned chefs Benito Molina and Solange Muris.

Celebremos: Eterna Navidad premieres December 4 on Pantaya and can be streamed across the U.S., including Puerto Rico.

Hulu Releases Trailer for Aubrey Plaza’s Holiday-Themed Rom-Com “Happiest Season”

Posted on November 9, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Aubrey Plaza is ready to ring in the holiday season…

Hulu has released the first trailer for Happiest Season, a holiday-themed romantic comedy starring the 36-year-old actress/comedian and former Parks and Recreation star.

“This is why I avoid Christmas — it brings out the worst in everything,” says the trailer for the film, which also stars Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis.

Here’s the logline: Meeting your girlfriend’s family for the first time can be tough. Planning to propose at her family’s annual Christmas dinner — until you realize that they don’t even know she’s gay — is even harder. When Abby (Stewart) learns that Harper (Davis) has kept their relationship a secret from her family, she begins to question the girlfriend she thought she knew.

Plaza, Stewart and Davis are joined by Alison Brie, Daniel Levy, Mary Holland, Burl Moseley, Victor Garber and Mary Steenburgen in a film that captures the range of emotions tied to wanting your family’s acceptance, being true to yourself and trying not to ruin Christmas.

Sample dialogue: “I’m scared that if I tell them who I really am that I will lose them,” Harper tells Abby. “Do you know how painful it is to watch the person I love hide me?” she replies. Harper: “I’m not hiding you — I’m hiding me.”

Clea DuVall directs from a script she wrote with Mary Holland.

Hulu will premiere the holiday rom-com on Wednesday, November 25 — the day before Thanksgiving.

Mario Lopez to Host iHeartMedia’s Virtual Holiday Concert “iHeartRadio Holiday Special”

Posted on November 7, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Mario Lopez is helping you get into the holiday spirit…

The 47-year-old Mexican American actor and television personality is set to host iHeartMedia’s virtual holiday concert iHeartRadio Holiday Special.

The 30-minute event will feature festive performances by Carrie Underwood, who recently released her first Christmas album, My Gift, and Josh Groban.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will also perform three holiday classics from the Preservation Hall in New Orleans.

“The anticipation and excitement surrounding our stations’ flip to Christmas music is a staple of the holiday season for our listeners across the country, and we are thrilled to celebrate this festive occasion with our first ‘iHeartRadio Holiday Special,’” said Tom Poleman, chief programming officer for iHeartMedia. “Given all the country is going through, we know everyone needs the uplifting spirit of holiday music. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the sounds of the holiday season for our music fans than with an intimate performance from Carrie Underwood and Josh Groban across our stations and on Oculus and iHeartRadio’s Facebook and YouTube pages.”

The show will broadcast on November 25 at 7:00 pm local time across iHeartMedia’s AC, HOT AC and Classic Hits stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app. A video stream will be available iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook pages, plus in VR on the Venues app for Oculus Quest.

Kirstin Maldonado & Her Pentatonix Mates Release Inspirational “Amazing Grace” Cover

Posted on November 7, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Kirstin Maldonado is bringin’ a little grace to the holiday season…

The 28-year-old Mexican & Spanish American singer and her Pentatonix group mates have surprised the world with the release of the music video for their new cover of “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone).”

In the Jimmy Bates-directed clip, Maldonado and her Pentatonix mates infuse the enduring gospel classic with their trademark a capella harmonies while wandering through a stunning outdoor church in the misty woods.

“My chains are gone/ I’ve been set free/ My God, my savior has ransomed me/ And like a flood/ His mercy reigns/ Unending love/ Amazing grace,” Mitch Grassi belts, while his bandmates provide crashing percussion and background vocals. Maldonado then takes over lead vocals on the next pitch-perfect stanza.

The track will serve as the lead single for the band’s upcoming sixth holiday album, We Need a Little Christmas, which is slated to drop November 13 via RCA Records.

While Pentatonix has yet to reveal the studio set’s complete track list, it will follow The Best of Pentatonix Christmas, their 2019 holiday compilation which featured collaborations with Tori Kelly (“Winter Wonderland/Don’t Worry, Be Happy“), Kelly Clarkson (“Grown Up Christmas List“), Maren Morris (“When You Believe”) and Jennifer Hudson (“How Great Thou Art“), as well as a posthumous duet with the late Whitney Houston on “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

Previously, the Christmas-loving a capella group has also released 2012’s PTXmas, 2014’s That’s Christmas to Me, 2016’s A Pentatonix Christmas and 2018’s Christmas Is Here!

Their next non-holiday full-length, titled The Lucky Ones, is currently expected to hit shelves, digital retailers and streaming services on February 12, 2021.

Streams of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” Surge in the First Days of November

Posted on November 4, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is ushering in the holiday season in a big way…

According to the 51-year-old half-Venezuelan American singer, known as the Queen of Christmas, the holiday season officially began on November 1.

So, it comes as little surprise to see her enduring holiday song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” surge in streams on November 1-2.

In a quick video that she tweeted, Carey pronounced, “It’s time” for the holidays, with a clip of the carol serving as a soundtrack.

The song garnered 1.14 million on-demand streams in the U.S. on November 1 and 2 — up 160% compared to the 715,000 clicks it collected on October 30 and 31, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” nabbed 370,000 streams on October 30, and then 345,000 on October 31. On November 1, it blasted to 940,000, and then on November 2 it claimed 917,000 streams.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” was released in 1994 as part of Carey’s first holiday album, Merry Christmas. The track eventually hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 2019 (becoming her 19th leader, the most among soloists).

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Christmas