Mary J. Blige Announces Christmas Album

It’s only July, but Mary J. Blige is getting ready for a soulful Christmas. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has announced plans for her first-ever holiday album.

A Mary Christmas, due in October on Matriarch/Verve/Interscope Records, features her soulful interpretation of classic holiday tunes.

She has collaborated for the first time with David Foster, the Grammy-winning producer behind multi-platinum Christmas albums for Michael Bublé, Rod Stewart, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, and Celine Dion.

This marks Blige’s 11th studio album since her 1992 debut What’s the 411?

Blige has dabbled in Christmas music in the past including duets with Andrea Bocelli (“What Child Is This?”), Rod Stewart (“We Three Kings”), and Angie Martinez (“Christmas in the City”).