EGOT Winner, Jennifer Hudson, Teams Up with The Hallmark Channel to Release Her First-Ever Holiday Album, "The Gift of Love" on October 18th!

Hallmark unwraps an early holiday gift with an exciting collaboration featuring two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning recording artist, Academy Award-winning actress, and Tony and Emmy Award-winning producer Jennifer Hudson. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the beloved Countdown to Christmas programming event and Hallmark’s 2024 Joy to Your World holiday campaign, Hudson delivers the powerful new anthem “Let There Be Joy,” joining festive forces with Hallmark for this happiest season of all.

As the host of The Jennifer Hudson Show and a celebrated performer across music, film, and television, Hudson’s collaboration with Hallmark is a natural fit, sharing a common vision of spreading joy, positivity, and hope. Additional songs from Hudson’s first-ever holiday album The Gift of Love will also appear in upcoming Hallmark holiday programming.

Jennifer Hudson, EGOT-winning recording artist, actress, producer: “No one does the holidays quite like my friends at Hallmark, so I couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate the season together with my new song “Let There Be Joy,” as we Countdown to Christmas. Music and movies have always been a favorite holiday tradition for me and my family, so I hope this song can become the same tradition for everyone on Santa’s list this year!”

For years, Hallmark has been a source of joy, spreading warmth, hope, and connection to millions of people. As they celebrate 15 years of the highly popular Countdown to Christmas, they wanted a song that truly captures this spirit. The collaboration with Jennifer Hudson brings a fresh, toe-tapping, groove-inducing anthem that embodies this year’s holiday campaign. Jennifer’s vibrant energy and performance are a great match for Hallmark’s goal of inspiring and uplifting everyone and bringing more Joy to Your World.

Darren Abbott, Chief Brand Officer, Hallmark said in a statement "As we mark 15 incredible years of Countdown to Christmas, we continue to focus on our mission of bringing joy and happiness to the world during the holidays. Partnering with Jennifer Hudson couldn’t be a more perfect fit. The original song ‘Let There Be Joy’ captures the heart and soul of what we aim to share each holiday season — pure, genuine joy. We’re excited to share this magical experience and continue our tradition of making the holidays brighter and more joyful than ever.”

Allison Thiel, Vice President of Music Strategies and Licensing at Hallmark Media, says that

“Jennifer Hudson is the dream artist, embodying the exact joy that we want to convey this holiday season. Her remarkable talent, powerhouse voice, and magnetic presence takes her performance of “Let There Be Joy” to another level. She is nothing short of spectacular and is sure to make this holiday season unforgettable.”

Be sure to catch Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas all season long to hear “Let There Be Joy” and new songs from Jennifer Hudson’s upcoming holiday album, The Gift of Love, releasing on Friday, October 18 — the same day Hallmark Channel officially kicks off its Countdown to Christmas season.