On Friday (September 6), Jennifer Hudson revealed the details of her first-ever holiday album, The Gift of Love, which will be released on October 18. The 42-year-old EGOT winner made the announcement with a holiday-themed Instagram video that features Hudson singing a soulful rendition of the Christmas classic, “Jingle Bells,” while placing presents under the tree. Hudson captioned her post, “The Gift of Love ♥️ My first-ever holiday album will be out 10/18! I cannot wait for it to be yours!” The clip also reveals the album’s cover art featuring Hudson wearing a shimmering gown, while stating that this year, “Holiday Season starts October 18, 2024.”
The Gift of Love is Hudson’s first album in ten years, dating back to 2014’s JHUD, as well as her first release on Interscope Records. The singer covers seasonal favorites like “The Christmas Song,” “O Holy Night,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Little Drummer Boy,” “My Favorite Things,” and “Auld Lang Syne,” alongside her own original numbers. Hudson teams up with her boyfriend Common for a duet on her new song, “Almost Christmas,” while she’s joined by the South African quintet The Joy on the holiday standard, “Carol of the Bells.” (People)