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The holiday season is just around the corner, and Brandy got fans in a festive mood on Friday (Oct. 20) by announcing her upcoming album, Christmas With Brandy. The album will feature a fresh take on festive classics, including “Someday at Christmas,” “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls.” She’ll also team up with her daughter […]

It’s safe to say that RuPaul Charles is one of the busiest celebrities currently working in the business. Alongside hosting and executive producing his Emmy-winning reality series RuPaul’s Drag Race, the drag icon has spent 2023 overseeing the show’s growing number of international spinoffs, hosting his own game show and writing a book.
Now, RuPaul is revealing yet another project that’s been on his growing checklist. On Friday (Oct. 20), the star unveiled Essential Christmas, his brand new holiday album compiling personal favorites off of his past three Christmas projects, while also giving fans a taste of something new on “Baby Doll,” a doo-wop jam that’s perfectly tailored for the holiday season.

When speaking to Billboard about his new project, even RuPaul is surprised at his prolific career in releasing Christmas songs. “I never set out to put out any Christmas records, yet somehow it’s happened that way,” he says. “And I really do love it.”

Below, RuPaul chats with Billboard about the making of his latest album, his favorite Christmas memories, the evolution of his writing his revealing new memoir The House of Hidden Meanings, and the continuing legacy of Drag Race.

Essential Christmas is your fourth Christmas album and your second album to be put out this year, along with every other career that you are currently juggling. How are you finding time to put these projects together?

Well, all I really do is work at this point. [Laughs.] And I really enjoy working. So I work a lot — I usually don’t enjoy sitting around, just hanging out. 

Let’s start by talking about the new single off of this album, “Baby Doll.” I love this ‘50s doo-wop style that you were tapping into here. How did you and Freddie go about conceiving this track?

Well, Freddie and I both love 50s doo-wop. And when I think of Christmas music, I think of that era as really being the sound of Christmas, especially of dance-y, fun Christmas. So we started there, and then looked at some current songs — well, at least in the past 15 years — that have that same ’50s beat. That’s when we landed on the Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies.” So the drum pattern is similar to “Single Ladies,” but it has all of the elements of that 50s doo-wop style.

Much of the rest of the album serves as a greatest hits-style compilation of reworked past Christmas songs — how did you go about picking out which songs were going to make the cut and which ones weren’t?

Well, in the streaming era, it’s really all about curating — and not just with music, but with everything in life. People have so many choices that my job, in part, becomes that of a cultural curator. So because of streaming, I figured I would to put all of the most significant songs that I’ve done in one place so it makes it easier for people. But also, I love a happy, fun, dance-y Christmas party. “Baby Doll,” when we first started working on it, was initially kind of dark and melancholy. And as beautiful as that was, after we made a demo of it, I said, “You know what, let’s change this, let’s make it more happy.” So we ended up scrapping the first rendition of it, and the only thing we kept of the original song was the title. 

Anyways, my point with all of this is I like Happy Christmas; I enjoy a melancholy Christmas song every now and then, I just didn’t want to have that for this collection.

RuPaul

@sanchezzalba

That’s an interesting larger point you made — the streaming era has fundamentally changed the way we consume music, and you have been very conscious of keeping up with new developments in music. How has the sort of shifting focus of the industry at large changed your approach to your music career?

Well yes, there are a lot of changes that have been made, and I’ve adjusted to those changes. There’s a challenge involved there, and I love a challenge. It’s like a puzzle where you think about what the consumer wants, and then you adjust to that without compromising what your artistic vision is. I love the fact that everything is so available to everyone. 

The issue then becomes — and this is true with movies, fashion and every form of art — you need a cruise director who’s going to say, “This here is important, go here.” In my case, I’ve been on the planet for a little while, and I have witnessed the history of pop music, the history of movies, and all these things. So it’s my job to pass that on, to mentor and to curate for people who weren’t here decades ago to say, “Hey, that right there, that’s really important.”

That’s part of why I actually appreciate how sampling has become such a staple in modern pop music, because it is allowing newer generations to understand older references that they might not have been there for.

Yes, exactly, as long as they understand the context, as long as they get the full story. When I was a kid, there were four television channels, and I would watch talk shows like Mike Douglas and Johnny Carson. In watching those shows, I was filled in about what happened before I was born. I got to understand who Ella Fitzgerald was, and Sarah Vaughan, and Joe Williams. Those talk shows ended up curating for me what I had missed by not being here. 

The concept of the Christmas album itself has become its own staple that many artists put into their repertoire over the last few decades — what do you think it is about holiday music that resonates so much with audiences?

I think people want to conjure up nostalgia and memories of their childhood or memories of joy. There’s so much darkness in the world, and we get this little window of joy and happiness and color and lights and love and gift-giving and happiness. And I think everybody wants a piece of that — I know I do. I never set out to put out any Christmas records. But somehow it’s happened that way. And I really do love it.

Do you have any strong Christmas memories that come up with that nostalgia when hearing Christmas songs?

Well, I have Christmas memories from the past 30 years — in my childhood, we had none because we didn’t have any money and it was pretty sad. But you know, when I met Georges [LeBar, RuPaul’s husband], things changed because he loved Christmas. The fact that we were together made us want to celebrate it. When you have love in your life, and you have something to celebrate, it becomes a joyous thing. So these past 30 years, I have loved Christmas. And we look forward to it, because we get to either have a great Christmas celebration at home, or we get to travel to some fabulous place. Now, Christmas is lovely for me, so I like to pass that joy along through my Christmas music. 

I also wanted to chat just a little bit about your upcoming memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings. In your announcement, you made it very clear that this book will see you at your most vulnerable — as someone who has built up a popular persona to protect your private life, what was the experience like deconstructing that persona in writing this book?

It was not easy, because when living a life in public, you have to be very, very careful. But, to do the kind of memoir I wanted to do, I had to be completely open and free to express myself. Now of course, after it’s put on paper, I can pull back and temper some of the more harsh elements of what I said. But it was very cathartic, because I got to go back to the scene of the crime and also celebrate how fortunate I’ve been in my life, and not just in my career. 

Part of how I’m able to do all this work is by just steamrolling ahead, and not getting slowed down by past indiscretions. I keep going and juggle a lot of projects going at once; the process of writing this book allowed me to slow down and look through the grocery basket of of my life and excavate these old memories.

That has to be a very healing process, as well, to get to be able to go back through your life like that.

It is! Most of us try to push down some of those memories, but in those memories lies so much hope and strength and courage. When you can walk through the fire, when you can do an inventory like that, you can move yourself forward, you can alleviate some of the baggage. For example, as a kid, a lot of times we think our parents are fighting because of something we did as a child — but as an adult, you can look back and go, ‘Oh, actually that had nothing to do with me.’ 

It has been wild to see how everything with Drag Race has grown — 27 Emmy wins, multiple spin offs, a dozen or so international versions, hundreds of careers of drag queens launched. Do you often find yourself kind of thinking about your legacy and the legacy of this show?

I certainly was thinking about that while I was writing the book, because the book allowed me to reflect. But usually, I try to be in the moment and deal with what I have to do in order to get through today. It’d be too distracting to always be thinking about that, and you really couldn’t move forward. 

As a huge fan of the show and a pop music nerd, I’ve always wanted to ask you about how you kind of go about selecting songs for lip syncs, because the show does a fantastic job of including a good mix of genres, eras, and vibes.

I mean, I worked in nightclubs on stage for over 30 years, so I just kind of know a good lip sync song when I hear one. Not all songs are lip sync songs. But the criteria for the TV show is to find songs that a queen can perform. And really, that’s the only criteria. 

With so much evolution over the last 15 years of the show, it often feels like Drag Race has exponential room to grow. Is there anything that you haven’t necessarily been able to accomplish on the show that you’re hoping to achieve in the next couple of years?

Well, it really doesn’t rest in my hands. What makes the show fresh is that each season, we get these fabulous, courageous artists who come on and share their stories with us and the world. As producers, we do what we can to create the infrastructure, but the new blood and energy coming from our contestants is what makes the show what it is.

It doesn’t have to be a “Blue Christmas” this year: NBC is set to celebrate Elvis Presley with the upcoming live music special Christmas at Graceland, executive produced by Elvis’ granddaughter Riley Keough, Billboard can exclusively announce.
The special will air Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and will be simulcast on Peacock.

“My family and I are elated to open the doors to Graceland in this first-of-its-kind special,” said Christmas at Graceland EP Keough; the Daisy Jones & The Six actress is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, who died in January at age 54. “With intimate musical performances drawing inspiration from my grandfather Elvis’s cherished Christmases in Memphis, viewers will be invited to experience firsthand the magic that is Christmas at Graceland.”

According to a press release, Christmas at Graceland — which will air immediately after NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center on Nov. 29 (8 p.m. ET/PT) — will “feature music’s biggest stars celebrating the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, his music and his favorite time of year, in an unprecedented holiday special live from his iconic home, Graceland.”

Performers will be announced closer to the air date.

“To celebrate the holidays at Graceland, and be a part of the King’s legacy, is both an honor and absolute dream come true,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Media Group. “We thank Riley and her family for allowing all of us to visit her grandfather’s iconic home and share an intimate musical experience that Elvis would’ve truly loved.”

Presley has a legendary catalog of Christmas music, with two hits on the 2011-launched Holiday 100 songs chart: “Blue Christmas,” which peaked at No. 11 in 2013, and “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane),” which hit No. 22 in 2015. His album It’s Christmas Time (a 1985 reissue of Presley’s 1957 release Elvis’ Christmas Album) reached No. 2 on Top Holiday Albums in 2015 — his highest-charting project on the tally; it also peaked at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart in 2018.

Christmas at Graceland will be produced by Done + Dusted, Authentic Studios and Felix Culpa, a production company co-founded by Keough and Gina Gammell. Executive producers from Done + Dusted are Raj Kapoor, Katy Mullan and Ian Stewart. Colin Smeeton, Matthew Gross and Marc Rosen will serve as executive producers on behalf of Authentic Studios. Felix Culpa’s Keough and Gammell will also executive produce alongside Graceland’s Joel Weinshanker. Done + Dusted’s Patrick Menton will co-executive produce.

It may only be March, but Jimmy Fallon is already in the holiday spirit.

The late night host sat down with E! News this week, where he revealed that he has a festive-themed album on the way this year. “I’ve been working on one for a couple of years. It’s silly, there’s comedy songs, there’s traditional songs on there, there’s a couple of duets. It should be a good mix,” he explained.

Watch the video here.

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Fallon is no stranger to getting in the Christmas spirit, and has often performed holiday songs on The Tonight Show with his famous friends. Back in 2021, he released a  pandemic-era holiday song “It Was A… (Masked Christmas)” alongside pop powerhouses Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion.

“I didn’t want to do a Mariah Carey, ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ type of song, which is what everybody tries to do,” Fallon told Billboard‘s Pop Shop Podcast of the track. “I’m like, ‘Guys, she’s done it. She’s done it well. She nailed it. You can move away. No one’s going to top that song. She’s the queen. Let her have it. Think of a new idea.’”

Last year, Fallon teamed up with Dolly Parton for “Almost Too Early for Christmas,” a duet that ponders when is truly the right time to get into the holiday spirit.

Move over Cindy Lou, there’s a new Who in town! Selena Gomez proved she’s not quite ready to put the Christmas decorations away on Tuesday (Jan. 10) with a lip sync from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

On TikTok, the star and a couple of pals channeled a young Taylor Momsen by lip syncing to “Where Are You Christmas” from the 2000 live-action holiday classic, complete with their noses taped up to look like the Whos in the film. “Where are you Christmas?/ Do you remember?” the trio mouth along to the then-seven-year-old’s warbled vocals.

Gomez’s fans couldn’t get enough of the funny video, with one commenting, “She’s so real for this.” Another chimed in, “Healing our inner child today i see” while a third wrote, “Selena in her active era. We Love to see it.”

The singer’s Christmasy clip comes just as “Calm Down,” her recent collaboration with Rema ascends to the top spot on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart (dated Jan. 14). The triumph marks her first No. 1 on the worldwide tally while Rema becomes the very first African artist to reach the chart’s peak.

Last month, Gomez nabbed her very first Golden Globe nomination for her role as Mabel Mora in the hit Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building opposite Steve Martin and Martin Short. Sharing a throwback video of an old interview to celebrate, the Wizards of Waverly Place alum showed that she had, indeed, manifested the nomination, claiming she was “more of a Golden Globe or Oscar girl” than having her heart set on winning a Grammy.

Watch Selena and her friends do their best Cindy Lou Who impersonations below.

Travis Scott returned to his native Houston on Saturday (Dec. 24) to hold the third annual Winter Wonderland and Toy Drive through his Cactus Jack Foundation.

For the Christmas Eve event, the rapper, his team and several members of his family gave out toys to one thousand families and children in need in the neighborhood of Sunnyside. Additionally, the Cactus Jack Foundation gifted Roku TVs and pairs of Scott’s Air Jordan 1 Low OG SP ‘Black Phantom’ sneakers.

In a statement, the superstar said he was “grateful” to be able to hold the event in his hometown. “The holiday season was my favorite as a child and I know some families are having a tough time in our community this year,” he continued. “We wanted to do our part to ensure we still spread the Christmas joy to area children. Sometimes even Santa needs a helping hand to deliver.”

The “Sicko Mode” rapper’s ‘Black Phantom’ shoes are just one element of his latest collaboration with Nike, which also includes a six-piece apparel collection featuring hoodies, cargo pants and shorts in both black and green.

As the year draws to a close, Scott was also tapped by Future to direct the music video for his pal’s single “712PM” and headlined the tribute to the late Virgil Abloh at Art Basel Miami. However, any hope for THE SCOTTS, his long-planned full-length follow-up with Kid Cudi to their 2020 No. 1 hit of the same name was officially dashed when Cudi declared the project dead in the water earlier this month.

Get a look at Scott and his family at the Winter Wonderland and Toy Drive below.

Jordan Webster, grandmother Miss Sealie, Jordan Webster and parents Wanda and Jacques.

Crayton Gerst

No place like home for the holidays. On Wednesday (Dec. 28), Anne Twist, mom to one Harry Styles, took to social media to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at how their family celebrated Christmas.

“Christmas 2022,” she captioned the series of four photos along with a smiley face, Christmas tree and red heart emoji. The slideshow shows off Twist’s holiday decorations and cozy fireplace, Christmas Day feast including veggies, casseroles and Yorkshire puddings, and the family’s sparkling Christmas tree.

However, the third photo of the bunch got fans most excited, with Twist posting a selfie with her pop star son, his sister Gemma Styles and Gemma’s longtime boyfriend Michal Mlynowski grinning ear to ear with their arms around one another. In the snap, Styles wears a blue hoodie beneath a yellow and black puffer jacket and an added balaclava for warmth, all with his hair pulled back off his forehead with a clip.

The laid back holiday caps off quite a major year for Styles, who scored his second career No. 1 (and broke several records) with the smash hit “As It Was” off his third solo album Harry’s House. Throughout the year, the British heartthrob also headlined Coachella, won album of the year at the 2022 MTV VMAs, starred in not one but two major motion pictures and made history with his Love on Tour show — including a record-breaking 15-night residency at Madison Square Garden.

Styles also picked up six nominations at the upcoming 2023 Grammy Awards, including trophies for album of the year, record of the year, song of the year, best pop vocal album, best pop solo performance and best music video.

Check out Styles’ cozy family Christmas below.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Waited until the last minute to finish your holiday shopping? With just two days before Christmas, last-minute shoppers plan to hit the streets in droves but procrastination isn’t the only thing driving this seasonal shopping ritual, ” target=”_blank” >inflation has a lot do with why many people waited until the last minute.

If you’re a last-minute shopper, we rounded up a list of more than a dozen retailers that offer in-store and curbside pickup, plus their store hours on Christmas Eve. However, some stores close early on Christmas Eve, so you might need to reach out directly for more information.

What’s open on Christmas Day? CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Kroger and most grocery stores will be open along with movie theaters and certain restaurants.

See below for a roster of retailers that offer in-store and curbside pickup.
13 Retailers That Offer BOPIN (Buy Online Pickup in Stores):

Best Buy – From earbuds to appliances, Best Buy has huge selection of gift-worthy items that you can order online and pick up in stores. To do so, place and order and click “store pickup” at checkout, select the store of your choice and you’ll be contacted when the order is ready. Best Buy’s last-minute holiday sale ends on Christmas Eve (the store will be open from 8 a.m.- 7 p.m.).

Bloomingdale’s – Spend while you save at Bloomingdale’s. Shoppers will get $25 off for every $100 spent during the Great Gift Mas Sale (ends Dec. 24). The store offers same-day delivery (on orders placed an by noon) and in-store and curbside pickup within about two hours of placing your order. Bloomingdale’s will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Christmas Eve at select locations.

Target – Place your order online and pick up in store, curbside pickup (via the Target app), or have your items delivered through the Shipt app. Target’s Christmas Eve hours are from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Walmart – Get last-minute gifts and holiday savings at Walmart (Christmas Eve store hours: 6 a.m-6 p.m.). To BOPIS, place your order online, choose a time slot and an associate will grab your items and beg them up. Walmart will send a “ready for pickup” email when the order is ready.

Kohl’s – Order last-minute gifts by 1 p.m. and pick them up by 6 p.m. at Kohl’s. Save an extra 20% off (in-store and online) with code: ENJOY20. Kohl’s will be open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Macy’s – Save up to 60% off select items during Macy’s Last-Minute Gift Sale and in-store pickup within two hours of placing your order. Christmas Eve store hours: 8 a.m.- 7 p.m.

Nordstrom – From stocking stuffers to gift options, Nordstrom has enough variety for anyone on your list. To order online and pick up in store, click the product details and select “free pickup,” followed by same-day or next-day pickup. Once your order is ready, you’ll receive an email with further directions to pick it up. Nordstrom’s Christmas Eve store hours: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Finish Line – Place an order at Finish Line.com or on the app, click the “shop by store” feature, chose your location and checkout like normal. After the order is placed, you’ll receive an email confirming the purchase and another letting you know when to pick it up. Be sure to bring your confirmation email and an ID to pick up your purchase. Finish Lines usually closes at 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. depending on the location. Customer Care hours are 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Nike – Shop Nike.com or use the Nike app to place your holiday order and save up to 50% off select items for a limited time. Tap “delivery” and “pickup” to see if your item is available for pickup at a local store. If so, your order will be ready within two hours (you’ll receive an email code when it’s time to pick up). Visit the pickup desk to retrieve your item in store or choose the option for curbside pickup. Nike’s Christmas Eve hours are from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at select locations.

Dick’s Sporting Goods – DSG offers one-hour curbside, or in-store pickup (you can also add another person to your pickup order at checkout). Right now, shoppers can save 50%-60% off thousands of items, including Nike, Adidas and more. DSG stores close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Urban Outfitters – To order online and pick up in stores, simply click the “pickup” option at checkout, choose the most convenient location and the store will let you know when the order will be available. And if you purchase a $50 gift card, Urban Outfitters will give you $10 off your next purchase of $50+.

Clothing retailers such as Gap, Old Navy, H&M, JCPenny, Carter’s, Free People, Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Express also offer in-store and curbside pickup.

Costco – Costco has a huge warehouse of perfectly giftable products that you can order online and pickup in store. Click here for more details. Costco will be open from 8 a.m-5 p.m. on Christmas Even (6 p.m. in select locations).

The Home Depot – Save up to 45% off select tools, plus free two-day delivery at Home Depot. Most in-store pickup orders are ready within a few hours (click here for more details). Home Depot closes at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

 

If you’re feeling weird about spending all that hard-earned cash on a big stack of holiday gifts that the people on your list may or may not want (or need), Coldplay have a unique, heart-warming way to throw your arms around the world this Christmas time.

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On Tuesday (Dec. 20) the group encouraged their fans to drop by this year’s edition of their “Choose Love” pop-up shop in London — or to visit the store online — “to buy essential supplies like warm coats, hot food and heating fuel for refugees and displaced people all over the world this winter.”

A brief video accompanying the tweet showed a long line of people waiting outside the shop and a shot of the unconventional shelves inside stocked with toys for children, soccer balls, house plants, children’s backpacks, jerry cans and orange life vests, along with footage of coats and school supplies in the hands of kids in need.

“Everything you buy will go directly to the people who need them the most,” the video promised. “This year shop with love.”

Earlier this month, singer Chris Martin gave fans an update while sharing his current favorite songs. “I hope you’re all doing well. Here are some things I love at the moment,” Martin wrote in a note while listing his current top tracks, including include RM‘s “Yun” featuring Erykah Badu, Badu’s live rendition of “Tyrone,” Bayka‘s “She Like It,” The 1975‘s “Looking for Somebody (to Love),” Inhaler‘s “Totally,” Kyoka‘s “Hurt People” and Stormzy‘s “Hide & Seek.”

Martin concluded his message by writing, “We are in the studio. We send you all much love.” The band recently wrapped a massive world tour in support of 2021’s Music of the Spheres.

Check out the tweet below.

Lil Wayne is in the mood to spread Christmas cheer.

On Sunday, the “A Milli” rapper teamed up with Young Money Entertainment president Mack Maine and invited 150 children from their New Orleans hometown for some fun at Dave & Buster’s for “A Very Weezy Christmas,” which included a special visit from Santa and gifts from Wilson Sporting Goods for the lucky children in attendance.

The rapper shared a series of photos to Instagram from the wholesome outing, which features several of the kids happily posing alongside Santa and showing off their gifts. “This Christmas @mackmaine4president & I wanted to give some future hall of famers the gift of game w/ the help of @Wilson,” Wayne wrote. “Making sure they received the necessary resources so they could enjoy all the benefits of being a top tier athlete was very important to us! #HappyHolidays #WeezyChristmas.”

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“Whether it’s learning about sportsmanship, teamwork, or just using the field as a way to escape everyday stresses, we wanted to make sure these kids get to experience impactful moments,” Wayne added in a press release.

Holidays aside, Lil Wayne achieved a major achievement just before the end of the year: His 2008 hit “Lollipop,” which appeared on Tha Carter III and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks, just achieved diamond status. The hip-hop hitmaker shared a video of him opening up his special plaque to commemorate the milestone and told his fand and followers via instagram that he “appreciate[s] every single one of you.”

See photos from Lil Wayne’s Christmas surprise here.