It’s still September and Halloween is just around the corner, but Lea Michele’s already thinking of Santa Claus, hanging stockings and sleigh bells in the snow. The Glee star releasing her first-ever holiday album, Christmas In The City, on Oct. 25, via Sony Music Masterworks, and her take on the Christmas chestnut, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” is available now.
“This album is something I’ve wanted to do for such a long time,” says Lea, in a press release, which notes Christmas In The City is inspired by her fond memories of growing up in Big Apple “Christmas is my favorite holiday, and it has always been such a special time with my family. I always go back home and spend Christmas in New York, so when I think of the holidays, I think of the city. This album is really a celebration of that magic and spirit of my hometown. I am so excited to share the songs I grew up with, and I hope it brings listeners a lot of joy this season!”
It wouldn’t be Christmas without family, and Christmas In The City will see Lea reunite with many of her Glee co-stars and collaborators. On this album, Lea reunites with songwriter and producer Adam Ander for their first collaboration since Glee. Lea and Adam co-wrote “Christmas In New York,” a brand new, original track featured on Christmas In New York.
“Every single song that I picked on this record, these are my most favorite Christmas songs,” Lea told PEOPLE. “These are the songs that I always listen to on Christmas. The first song that I said, ‘This has to be on my record’ was ‘Silver Bells.’ ‘Silver Bells’ was my favorite Christmas song, because I love the lyrics, ‘It’s Christmas time in the city.’ That really became the jumping-off point for this album, Christmas in The City, because I grew up in New York, and it’s such a beautiful time of year.”
She’ll also team up with Darren Criss for a take on the holiday classic, “White Christmas.” Lea’s Spring Awakening co-star Jonathan Groff joins her on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and “Angels We Have Heard On High” will feature Cynthia Erivo. The album will also have Lea give her own spin on songs like Frozen’s “Do You Want To Build A Snowman,” “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree,” and “Silent Night.”
“Jonathan is my best friend in the entire world, and the song we’re singing on the record, ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas,’ we’ve been singing together for over 10 years,” she told PEOPLE. “Darren and I are dear friends, so it was only natural that I would have him come on the record with me. My third very special guest is the incredible Cynthia Erivo, and if you don’t know Cynthia, you’re going to know her soon.”
Check out the tracklisting below. Christmas In New York is available for preorder now.
- “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
- “Christmas in New York”
- “I’ll Be Home for Christmas (feat. Jonathan Groff)”
- “Do You Want To Build a Snowman?”
- “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
- “Silent Night”
- “White Christmas (feat. Darren Criss)”
- “Silver Bells”
- “Angels We Have Heard on High (feat. Cynthia Erivo)
- ”O Holy Night”