It’ll be an eclectic holiday season for Demi Lovato.
The latest trailer has been released for the 31-year-old half-Mexican American singer and actress’ upcoming Roku special titled A Very Demi Holiday Special.
As seen in the clip, Lovato is bringing together some of her celebrity friends for a jolly ol’ time.
The one-minute clip shows Lovato baking with Paris Hilton, learning The Nutcracker ballet with Trixie Mattel, making ugly sweaters with Tiffany Haddish and singing with JoJo.
The special will air on the Roku Channel on Dec. 8.
During the OBB Pictures-produced special, you can expect to hear songs such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and a surprise duet, as well as a some of Lovato’s original hits.
Later in the month, Lovato is welcoming 2024 with a New Year’s Eve concert at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas on Sunday (Dec. 31) at 10:30 pm PT. She is fresh off the release of her Revamped album, which featured rock reimaginings of some of her greatest hits including “Skyscraper,” “Give Your Heart a Break,” “La La Land,” “Sorry Not Sorry” and more.
Cardi B is whipping up a special holiday treat… with a kick!
The 31-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning singer’s alcoholic whipped cream company, Whipshots, re-launched its festive peppermint flavor for the holiday season.
Cardi B stuns in the campaign photos to announce the flavor relaunch.
She’s seen sitting amid a winter wonderland full of trees and presents in a flowing red gown.
“The holidays are all about coming together and getting lit – and we’re not just talking about the Christmas tree, Fam,” the caption reads. “Elevate your celebrations with Whipshots Peppermint vodka whipped cream – the perfect stocking stuffer to bring the bougie to your holiday bash. (Besides, bringing a bottle of wine for your friends and family is so been there, drank that!).”
Back in March, Whipshots celebrated selling two million cans of its boozy treat. “We just went double platinum! We’re not playing around when we say Whipshots is the best,” Cardi said in a statement. “Boozy and beautiful since day one, and two million cans later, there is no slowing us down. I love the fans supporting our brand – let’s keep this party going!”
Cardi B with Starco Brands to release the alcohol infused, non-dairy whipped cream, which sold its first million cans in just 10 months and went on to sell another million cans four months later.
Cardi B’s Whipshots can be found where most alcohol is sold, including Total Wine, DoorDash, GoPuff, Drizly, Albertsons and Vons.
Manuel Turizo is helping celebrate another holiday in the United States…
Following his debut appearance at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the 23-year-old Colombian singer will helping light the iconic Rockefeller Center Christmastree in New York City.
The popular Manhattan landmark will be hosting its 91st annual lighting ceremony on Wednesday, November 29 at 8:00 pm ET. The 2023 Christmas tree lighting ceremony is bound to get you in the holiday spirit with the help of a slew of guests and musical performances.
This year, Kelly Clarkson will be hosting the tree lighting ceremony and performing on the show that will feature appearances from Today’s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin.
In addition to Turizo, you can also expect musical performances from Chloe Bailey, Adam Blackstone, Cher, David Foster, Liz Gillies, Darlene Love, Seth MacFarlane, Barry Manilow, Katharine McPhee, Keke Palmer, Carly Pearce, Radio City Rockettes and more.
Mariah Carey’s Christmas cheer is already spreading nationwide…
The 54-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer-songwriter’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs retrospective, has jingled its way back to the Billboard Hot 100 dated November 25, 2023.
Carey’s insta-classic carol re-enters the Hot 100 at No. 17 with 14 million official streams (up 29%), 7.6 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 333%) and 1,500 sold (up 7%) in the U.S. in the November 10-16 tracking week, according to Luminate.
The song, originally released in 1994, hit the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in December 2017. In December 2019, it ascended to the summit at last, for three weeks that holiday season. It became the second holiday song ever to reign, after “The Chipmunk Song,” by The Chipmunks with David Seville, spent four weeks at No. 1 beginning in December 1958.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” led the Hot 100 for two more weeks in the 2020 holiday season, thus, passing “The Chipmunk Song” for the most for a Yuletide song, and for three more weeks over the 2021 holidays and a single-season-best four frames during the 2022 season, upping its total to 12 weeks at No. 1.
“When I wrote [it], I had absolutely no idea the impact the song would eventually have worldwide,” Carey marveled of “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 2021. “I’m so full of gratitude that so many people enjoy it with me every year.”
With its 2019 coronation, Carey claimed her 19th Hot 100 No. 1, extending her mark for the most among soloists and moving to within one of The Beatles’ overall record 20.
Plus, when “All I Want for Christmas Is You” dominated the Hot 100 dated Jan. 4, 2020, Carey became the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in four distinct decades (the 1990s, 2000s, ‘10s and ‘20s).
The song has also helped Carey claim the longest span of any soloist topping the Hot 100 – 32 years and five months, dating to her first week atop the chart dated August 4, 1990, with her debut single “Vision of Love” – and swell her total to 91 weeks at No. 1 among all her leaders, the most of any act.
Carey performed “All I Want for Christmas Is You s” on an awards show for the first time as part of the 2023 Billboard Music Awards (November 19). She was also honored with the Billboard Chart Achievement Award for the song, presented to her by her 12-year-old twins, Monroe and Moroccan.
“Billboard has been an integral part of my life for a very long time now,” Carey said in her acceptance speech. “Even though I don’t acknowledge time, I kind of have to admit that some of my most memorable times in my career are connected to Billboard and the BBMAs. One thing I really have to say that I’m really grateful for is the fact that my fans have been here with me through the hits, through the misses, the No. 1s and the Bubbling Unders.”
Below “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” three other holiday classics make annual resurgences on the Hot 100, led by Wham!’s “Last Christmas” at No. 32 (11.3 million streams, up 41%).
Mariah Carey says it’s time to get into the holiday spirit…
The 54-year-old half-Afro-Venezuelan Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, the self-proclaimed Queen of Christmas, has officially declared the start of the holiday season, and she’s celebrating with some new merchandise.
Carey took to social media on this week to share a photo of her 12-year-old twins, daughter Monroe and son Moroccan, whom she affectionately calls “dem babies,” posing in Carey’s new t-shirt.
The white shirt feature a photo of the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” singer in a festive outfit, with “It’s Time!” written across the top.
The shirt is now available to purchase for $35 on Amazon here.
At the stroke of midnight on November 1, Carey bid farewell to the Halloween season and hello to the holidays with an annual seasonal kick-off video. The singer posted an elaborate 35-second video of a frozen vault with a red countdown clock above it that reads “November 1 12:00.” The vault opens to reveal a number of Carey’s assistants dressed in in a variety of scary masks using hair dryers to help Carey defrost from the block of ice.
Carey ultimately cracks open the ice by belting out “It’s time!” in her signature whistle note and emerges from the frost in a red and white Santa-style costume.
Monroe and Moroccan also joined in on the video’s festivities and dance around with their mother as Carey’s iconic holiday hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” officially blasts out for the first time this season.
Carey is slated to hit the road for her 13-date Merry Christmas One and All! tour on Nov. 15 in Highland, CA and ride her sleigh across North American until a December 17 gig at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Mariah Carey is helping children get into the holiday spirit… And she’s getting an assist for her own kids.
The 54-year-old half-Venezuelan American actress, the self-proclaimed Queen of Christmas, has teamed up with The Children’s Place to help the public get excited about the upcoming holidays.
Carey and her twins, Moroccan and Monroe Cannon, star in the final installment of the brand’s three-part holiday campaign, released on Tuesday, October 17.
Carey poses alongside her adorable twins outfitted in looks from The Children’s Place’s new holiday collection. And it’s the first time that Carey and her children have appeared together in a joint campaign.
“The holidays are all about family – spending time with each other and making memories that will last a lifetime. Holiday traditions are big for us at the Carey house. There is nothing sweeter than baking Christmas cookies and cuddling around the fireplace and matching in The Children’s Place pajamas together!” Carey said in a statement.
“I’ve always been a fan of The Children’s Place … they are a household name and dominate the children’s apparel space. Also, as someone who absolutely loves the holidays, and specifically, Christmas, I’ve been watching what The Children’s Place has been doing for the last few years and they have my stamp of approval for the place to shop for all matching family Christmas pajamas and outfits!”
The Children’s Place campaign also includes a visual element: “An Iconic Holiday: Part 3” — a commercial soundtracked by Carey’s holiday anthem “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” In the video, Carey and her kids wear Mama Claus and Santa’s Helper graphic tees while decorating a Christmas tree, and “We Are Family” matching family pajamas while baking Christmas cookies.
The Children’s Place’s new campaign also showcases Carey in a custom red velour, strapless A-line dress that inspired “The Dress by Mariah Carey” — a limited-edition gown designed by the music icon herself. The dress retails for $149.99 exclusively at childrensplace.com.
Carey’s dress comes complete with a plaid, oversized bow in the back that matches The Children’s Place’s signature family holiday plaid collection worn by Moroccan and Monroe.
The Children’s Place’s three-part holiday campaign pays homage to millennial nostalgia with former boy band members AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC’s Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men and Snoop Dogg.
Carey, meanwhile, is gearing up to return to the stage for the holidays — her busiest and favorite time of the year.
The music icon, who released a holiday book titled The Christmas Spirit: The Adventures of Little Mariah last year, recently announced Merry Christmas One And All!, a round of holiday shows launching on November 15 in Highland, California.
The singer will make stops in Montreal, Chicago, New York and other cities including two nights in Los Angeles. Carey added a second date to her stop at the Hollywood Bowl and will now perform on November 17 and November 19.
Anthony Ramos is preparing for a Bad holiday season…
Netflix will premiere the animated half-hour special The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday, featuring the 31-year-old Puerto Rican actor, singer and Broadway star as part of the voice cast, on November 30.
The special is a prequel to the 2022 hit animated film The Bad Guys.
Based on a children’s graphic novel series, the The Bad Guysfilm follows a group of anthropomorphic criminals, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Ms. Tarantula, Mr. Shark and Mr. Piranha, voiced respectively by Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Awkwafina, Craig Robinson and Ramos.
After getting caught, Mr. Wolf makes a play to escape prison time by claiming that the group wants a chance to reform themselves into good guys. Though it starts as a ruse, Mr. Wolf soon finds himself excited by the opportunity to better himself.
The film grossed more than $250 million worldwide and was the second-highest-grossing animated film of 2022.
In the prequel, set before the events of the feature, there’s nothing the Bad Guys love more than Christmas morning — because while everyone is home opening presents, it’s the perfect time to execute their citywide holiday heist. But when Christmas is unexpectedly canceled, the Bad Guys must do the unthinkable: reignite the city’s holiday spirit by giving instead of taking.
The voice cast includes Michael Godere as Wolf, Ezekiel Ajeigbe as Shark, Raul Ceballos as Piranha, Chris Diamantopoulos as Snake, Mallory Low as Tarantula, Zehra Fazal as Tiffany Fluffit, Keith Silverstein as Gary, Shaved Ice Vendor and Kari Wahlgren as DJ Trudy Tude.
Bret Haaland directs and executive produces with Katherine Nolfi.
Following a delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 77-year-old Puerto Rican musician, singer and composer has finally received his 2021 National Medal of Arts prize.
President Joe Biden doled out medals to the National Medal of Arts recipients, as well as the 2021 National Humanities Medal honorees.
The White House hosted a livestreamed East Room ceremony on Tuesday for the recipients, who included Mindy Kaling, Gladys Knight, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bruce Springsteen and fashion designer Vera Wang. Feliciano was unable to attend the event as he’s in Hawaii after performances on the West Coast.
Feliciano was born blind as a result of glaucoma. His family moved to New York City’s Spanish Harlem when he was five years old, and he fell in love with music and playing the accordion and the guitar. While in high school, he played as a regular at a Greenwich Village coffeehouse. He eventually dropped out of high school and moved to Detroit to take a more permanent singing gig, and soon after was signed with RCA Records. He is most known for his bilingual Christmas song, “Feliz Navidad” which has been named among the most popular holiday songs of all time.
According to Billboard, Feliciano has two top-10 hits in his career and 11 top-100 songs. Feliciano is also a seven-time Grammy award winner.
The NEA website writes the decision to honor Feliciano came from his tenure in the music industry, saying “Over 60 years, 60 albums, and 600 songs, Jose Feliciano has opened hearts and built bridges — overcoming obstacles, never losing faith, and enriching the goodness and greatness of the Nation.”
The honorees received their awards about two years late due to a backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
First lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris also attended the ceremony, which Biden opened with a speech filled with quips about the honorees.
The recipients of the National Medals of Arts – the highest honor from the United States government for advancing the country’s arts – include actors, comedians and singers. Other recipients were artist-activist Judith Francisca Baca, philanthropist Fred Eychaner, Puerto Rican painter Antonio Martorell-Cardona and film producer Joan Shigekawa.
The Billie Holiday Theatre and The International Association of Blacks in Dance also received medals.
The National Humanities Medal honors those who have improved Americans’ understanding and engagement with history, literature, philosophy and more humanities subjects.
The 2021 recipients are poet Richard Blanco, anthropologist Johnnetta Betsch Cole, author Walter Isaacson, social historian Earl Lewis, Native American studies academic Henrietta Mann, novelist Ann Patchett, activist Bryan Stevenson, novelist Amy Tan, memoirist Tara Westover and novelist Colson Whitehead, as well as the organization Native America Calling.
It’s a case of clause and effect for Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias.
The 46-year-old Mexican American comedian/actor is joining the cast of Disney+‘s The Santa Clausesas a series regular.
Iglesias will play Kris Kringle, the owner and operator of a Christmas-themed amusement park called Santaland. Sweet, happy, and perpetually-optimistic, Kris is a warm, generous soul who is determined to keep his struggling theme park afloat. However, his belief in Santa and love for all things Christmas may not be enough.
In the second season, the Calvin family is back in the North Pole as Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) continues his role as Santa Claus after retirement plans were thwarted when failing to find a worthy successor in season one. Now that Scott and his family have successfully saved Christmas, Scott turns his focus towards training his son Calvin to eventually take over the family business as Santa Claus.
Also returning as series regulars in season two are Elizabeth Mitchell as Mrs. Claus/Carol, Elizabeth Allen-Dick as Sandra Calvin Claus, Austin Kane as Cal Calvin Claus, and Devin Bright as Santa’s elf bestie Noel. Matilda Lawler will reprise her role of Santa’s chief of staff, Betty, as a recurring guest star.
Additional guest stars include newcomer Marta Kessler as Olga, a surly, take-no-prisoners gnome who is a sidekick to Magnus Antas (Eric Stonestreet), aka The Mad Santa; along with returning guest stars Liam Kyle as Gary, Isabella Bennett as Edie, Sasha Knight as Crouton, Ruby Jay as Riley, Mia Lynn Bangunan as Pontoon, and Laura San Giacomo as La Befana, the Christmas Witch.
Jack Burditt will continue as executive producer and showrunner, while Kevin Hench, Richard Baker and Rick Messina will serve as executive producers along with Jason Winer and Jon Radler for Small Dog Picture Company.
The Disney Branded Television series is produced by 20th Television.
Iglesias recently became the second highest grossing touring comedian and is one of the most watched comedians on YouTube with over 1.1 billion views and over 25 million fans on social media.
His acting credits include Mr. Iglesias, Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL, A Haunted House and Smurfs: The Lost Village.
Antonio Banderas is preparing to spread holiday cheer…
The 62-year-old Spanish actor will star in Sony Affirm’s upcoming untitled holiday musical centered around the Nativity.
Banderas, who will star as King Herod, will appear opposite Fiona Palomo as Mary and Milo Manheim as Joseph.
The film is currently in production with Monarch Media on the coast of Spain for a November 10 theatrical release.
Music producer Adam Anders is making his feature directorial debut and wrote the script along with Peter Barsocchini and wrote the music with Nikki Anders and Peer Astrom.
Here’s the logline: A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live-action Christmas musical celebration for the entire family, weaves classic Christmas melodies into new pop songs in a music-infused retelling of the timeless story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus.
Filling out the cast are Moriah, Stephanie Gil, 4x Grammy award-winning Joel Smallbone from the pop duo FOR KING + COUNTRY as King Herod’s son, Antipater and multiple Grammy award-winning Lecrae as Gabriel, Rizwan Manji as Gaspar, Geno Seagers as Balthazar, and Omid Djalili as Melchior.
“This joyous and fresh take on Mary and Joseph’s journey, combined with infectious music and insanely passionate vision of Adam Anders made this an undeniable fit for Affirm Films and Sony Pictures to come alongside and help turn this amazing story into a Christmas classic that will resound with young children, families, teens and adults” said Rich Peluso, EVP and Head of Affirm Films.
“We’ve been amazed at Adam’s ability to tell the widely known story of Mary, Joseph and a jealous king in a way that feels fresh and contemporary, like you’ve never heard it before.” says Alan Powell of Monarch Media.
As seen in the clip, Lovato is bringing together some of her celebrity friends for a jolly ol’ time.
