00:00I mean, I don't know what could ever top her as a guest.
00:04It's hands down my favorite by far.
00:06Jennifer Hudson dropped by Billboard's Pop Shop podcast
00:09with Keith Caulfield and Katie Atkinson
00:11to discuss her new holiday album, The Gift of Love,
00:15and her recent interview with Michelle Obama.
00:17We talk about the song selections for the album,
00:20the inspiration, and why now was the time to do it.
00:23Well, because I've always wanted to do a holiday album
00:26and I couldn't think of a better time than now.
00:29The question to me, I think, is why not now, you know?
00:32And I finally was able to narrow it down
00:35to my favorite Christmas songs,
00:36because I feel like those are the things-
00:37Your favorite things?
00:38Yes, my favorite things, there you go.
00:41Yeah, and pick, you know,
00:43the songs that was most personal to me
00:45for this holiday album.
00:46You know, this album has familiar favorites,
00:48like we just, I just sort of hinted at my favorite things,
00:51but also some new material that you co-wrote.
00:54What was the process like for you
00:56to determine the songs that you wanted on the album?
00:59How did you decide what would ultimately be on the album?
01:02Originals or classics?
01:04I mean, well, let's start with the classics.
01:08Well, okay, so that's what I'm saying.
01:10Like, it was difficult to say,
01:12I love all holiday music, first of all.
01:13So it's like, how do I narrow it down
01:15to know what to put on the holiday album?
01:18But I picked what was most personal to me,
01:20like the Christmas song, for instance.
01:22My grandmother used to love that song.
01:23So I recall hearing that as a little girl
01:26throughout each and every holiday
01:28of her playing that song.
01:30âȘ And a flying soul âȘ
01:36And on the other side of the spectrum,
01:37Santa for Someone is such a fun, light song.
01:40And the ad-libs and the dialogue bits add so much to it.
01:44You know, what was it like writing this song and recording it?
01:47Was it as much fun as it sounded like?
01:49You know, I love that song.
01:51It's so personal to me and how I celebrate the season.
01:55Like I said, I'm lighting up the whole block.
01:57I got my lights up.
01:58You know, I'm calling out my sister name, my boy's name,
02:01everybody's name.
02:02Like, oh my God, did I get gifts for everyone?
02:04And it was actually even more exciting to record it
02:07because I was like, I'm not really a singer right here.
02:09I'm an actress where it's like acting out how we are
02:13when it's like, it's a countdown.
02:14It's almost Christmas.
02:15Did we get the kids gifts?
02:16Did we get their toys?
02:17Did it come yet?
02:18Did they get what they want?
02:19We all get to be Santa to someone.
02:21And sometimes we lose it in the middle.
02:23They're like, oh my God, I gotta cook the food.
02:25I gotta package up the gifts and pack them up,
02:27send them out.
02:28Did I check everything off the list?
02:30So that's what that song represents.
02:32Even the notes in it.
02:33That's not a note.
02:33That's like, ah, did I make it?
02:36Are we there yet?
02:37Did I get all the gifts?
02:38âȘ Oh, cause I gotta be, gotta be, gotta be, gotta be âȘ
02:41âȘ A Santa for someone, someone, yeah. âȘ
02:44Since we are talking to you for our Christmas episode,
02:47are there holiday albums or certain artists
02:50that are your go-to favorites to play during the holidays?
02:54That varies.
02:55Oh, see, that is what has taken me so long
02:58to do a Christmas album because it's so much,
03:01so, oh my God, it's a lot of great holiday music out there
03:04and it's a lot of great Christmas albums out there.
03:06I love Pentatonix for sure.
03:09What collaborators of yours in previous?
03:11Yes, I've gotten, of course, Mariah Carey.
03:14Of course, the Queen.
03:15Another collaborator.
03:16Another collaborator.
03:18I love CeeLo Green.
03:21He has one of the best Christmas albums there is.
03:25His Mary Did You Know is what inspired me to do
03:27Mary Did You Know.
03:28What?
03:29Did You Know.
03:30Okay.
03:31Um.
03:31And of course, the daytime TV queen recently talked
03:34to Michelle Obama and this was her reaction.
03:37A dream to be able to have her in this capacity
03:40as, you know, to sit down and have a conversation
03:43at the Happy Place.
03:45I mean, I don't know what could top, ever top her
03:48as a guest.
03:49It's hands down my favorite by far.
03:51And the first thing I said to her, I was like,
03:53you know, I don't know what's more nerve-wracking,
03:56singing for you guys or now interviewing you.
03:59You know what I mean?
03:59Because this is a different thing.
04:01But I'm great to have had the experience of both.
04:04Um, and they're just great people.
04:06So, it was such an honor to have her here.
04:09And it's a moment that none of us will ever forget.
04:12Once we were done filming, I had to look around
04:14at everybody like, guys, we will never forget this moment.
04:17For more on the album and the full episode
04:19of the Pop Shop Podcast, head to Billboard.com.
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