As the holiday season gets closer, this week’s Second Listen Sunday selection is from EGOT winner, Jennifer Hudson, and her 2024 Christmas album “The Gift Of Love”. The EGOT winner plays like the album she’s been circling for years — a complete, confident return that uses Christmas not as a gimmick, but as a framework for everything she does well.
This is her first holiday set and her first studio album in a decade, but she shows no signs of rust. Hudson arrives with purpose, supported by heavyweight producers such as Ryan Tedder, David Foster, Kirk Franklin, Greg Phillinganes, and James Poyser. The production is glossy and cinematic, meticulously arranged, yet even the most polished moments highlight her voice rather than overshadow it.
Opening with Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is a bold choice that only a singer with absolute command could execute. Hudson avoids the temptation to belt out the notes right away. Instead, she demonstrates control and thoughtful phrasing, allowing the lyrics to breathe before unleashing her powerful voice in the final stretch. Her collaboration with The Joy on “Carol of the Bells” stands out as the album’s brightest surprise—a rhythmic, South African-inspired reimagining that elevates the record beyond traditional ornamentation, giving it a lively pulse.
Most of the standards, including “O Holy Night,” “The Christmas Song,” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” follow familiar structures. However, with Hudson’s rich and resonant voice, the goal isn’t necessarily to reinvent these classics but to interpret them. She treats these songs with respect, bending the notes just enough to make them her own without overdoing it.
Where Hudson truly shines is in her original songs. “Find the Love” and “Make It Christmas” blend contemporary R&B with gospel influences, while “Santa for Someone” showcases her ability to convey longing with dignity rather than melodrama. “Almost Christmas,” featuring Common, brings warmth and chemistry without veering into holiday clichés.
“The Gift of Love” feels less like a seasonal offering and more like a declaration. Hudson isn’t trying to compete with the reigning queens of Christmas; instead, she is carving out her own niche—one that is soulful, commanding, and grounded in vocal authenticity.
This album is a rare holiday release that feels both timeless and fresh, positioning her to return every December without ever sounding repetitive.
“The Gift Of Love” is available on all streaming platforms.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.