Mariah Carey Connection

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for two pop divas…again. Mariah Carey and Jessica Simpson are both planning on releasing their second holiday albums this year.

Mariah is releasing her first holiday album since 1994’s “Merry Christmas,” which has been certified 5x platinum in the U.S. Carey, who created a modern yuletide classic in “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” is set to feature a remix of the track on her upcoming album, which is set to feature both original songs and covers.

Carey is teaming up with her former musical director and “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson on the project, who also produced one of her most underrated album tracks “Subtle Invitation” off 2003’s “Charmbracelet.” She’s also working with Broadway composer Marc Shaiman, who helped bring the music of “Hairspray” and the upcoming “Catch Me If You Can” to the stage.

Jessica Simpson is also set to release her second holiday collection. Her first, “Rejoyce: The Christmas Album,” made much less of an impact than Carey’s. It was originally released as a 7-Eleven exclusive EP (yes, that 7-Eleven), and later fleshed out to a fuller album. It featured duets with then-husband Nick Lachey and sister Ashlee Simpson.

“Rejoyce,” Simpson’s best-selling album since 2003’s “In This Skin,” featured covers of songs like “O Holy Night” and “What Christmas Means To Me” and an original Simpson co-write, “It’s Christmas Time Again.” Simpson is currently in the studio recording the new album, on the fast-track to hit shelves before December.

Carey and Simpson aren’t the only divas feeling the holiday spirit this year. Katharine McPhee is following up her sophomore effort “Unbroken” with her first seasonal collection. Tentatively titled “Christmas Is the Time…To Say I Love You,” McPhee’s album is set to feature an original self-written ballad along with classic covers. Check out her “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” cover, released last year, for a taste.

Although not confirmed, Susan Boyle is reportedly readying a holiday album to follow-up last year’s smash “I Dreamed a Dream” album. Annie Lennox is also set to release her first holiday collection, “A Christmas Cornucopia,” this fall.

Source: AHN