Brett Eldredge Reveals New Holiday Album, Launches Warm and Cozy Records

Over the past decade-plus, Illinois native Brett Eldredge has earned five No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hits (including the two-week chart-toppers “Don’t Ya” and “Wanna Be That Song”) and has seen two of his albums rise into the top 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.

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Thanks to his velvety, timeless vocal delivery, his annual holiday-themed Glow concerts and two albums comprised of primarily classic holiday songs (2016’s Glow and 2021’s Mr. Christmas ), he’s also earned a reputation as an essential artist to help usher in the spirit of the holiday season.

On Sept. 27, Eldredge will extend that reputation with his third holiday album, Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family) , an eight-song collection of original holiday songs. Eldredge, who is managed by Q Prime South, is also turning a new page professionally, as the album will be the first released on Eldredge’s own independent label, Warm and Cozy Records. Eldredge previously parted ways with his longtime label home, Warner Music Nashville.

“The run we had together at Warner was very special and it ended with respect and love,” Eldredge tells Billboard via email. “I am so grateful for the wonderful team of humans at Warner and the work and belief they always had for me. At the end of the day, I missed the feeling of betting on myself. That feeling when you first get to town, knocking on doors and playing anywhere they would let me in the doors with my guitar and an eager voice that wanted to be heard…I have that hunger to bet on myself and starting my own label felt like the perfect way to do that.”

According to Q Prime South’s Randi Tolbert, ADA will handle distribution for the label, with Q Prime South and Q Prime New York label services handling duties including marketing, press, radio and digital.

Asked if there are plans to sign additional artists to his Warm and Cozy label, Eldredge notes that at the moment, his sights are set on releasing his own music, and he’s immersed in “making music that I love by cutting out expectations or outside pressures and anything that would influence my creative spirit. I love the freedom of it all so far…I am going to focus on that for now, but who knows what the future holds!”

Among the original songs on the new album is “Sweet December,” a duet with Kelly Clarkson (the two previously collaborated on “Under the Mistletoe,” featured on Clarkson’s 2021 holiday album, When Christmas Comes Around ).

“After singing ‘Under the Mistletoe’ together, I knew there was no one else in the world I wanted to sing this song with,” Eldredge says in a statement. “Kelly’s voice has this soulful retro feeling. I’ve never done a Christmas song in this style, and I really love it.”

Clarkson adds in a statement, “I’ve been fortunate enough to record songs with Brett, go see him live, and have him on my show! He has one of my favorite voices and I will sing with him anytime, anywhere! I hope people dig ‘Sweet December’ as much as we do!”

The vinyl edition of the upcoming album will be released Oct. 25, bolstered by Welcome to the Family: The Game , an exclusive board game printed onto the vinyl edition’s gatefold.

For Eldredge, seeing the growing success of his holiday-centered music is a fulfillment of the dreams and ideas he had as a young vocalist, inspired by the sounds of timeless holiday songs each season.

“I think the success of this Christmas business or any business is to dig into what sparked it before it mattered to anyone else but yourself,” he tells Billboard . “That’s how I feel about this whole Christmas dream that has blown up to a level I only used to dream about as a kid, sitting by the tree singing along to Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby. That whole feeling of, ‘What if one day I could make music classic and cool like this, with my own holiday original songs? What if I could make people feel the way I do right now just listening and dreaming?’ When it all gets overwhelming, which indeed any type of success or ‘business’ does, I like to imagine taking a seat next to that 12-year-old me and saying, ‘Can you believe we are doing this?'”

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Eldredge also notes to Billboard that fans can likely expect to hear a variety of sounds from him in the future as he explores musical avenues.

“I love so many types of music and I am inspired that we now live in an era where there can be a home on different playlists for different styles,” he says. “It honestly makes the live shows more fun and expansive too. I have a lot of different styles and sounds in my bag of magic tricks that I can’t wait to get out to the world!”

See the tracklist for Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family) below:

1          “Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family)”

2          “It Must Be Christmas”

3          “Sweet December” (featuring Kelly Clarkson)

4          “Warm and Cozy”

5          “The Night St. Nick Got Sick”

6          “Season of Lights and Wonder”

7          “Who Will You Be Kissing on New Year’s Eve?” (featuring Idarose)

8          “Welcome to the Family” (Reprise)

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