Connie Talbot's Christmas Album

{{Infobox album

| name = Connie Talbot's Christmas Album

| type = studio

| artist = Connie Talbot

| cover = Connie Talbot's Christmas Album cover.jpg

| alt =

| released = 24 November 2008

| recorded = June–August 2008

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Christmas music

| length =

| label = Rainbow Recording Company

| producer = Simon Hill
Rob May

| prev_title = Over the Rainbow

| prev_year = 2007

| next_title = Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic

| next_year = 2009

}}

Connie Talbot's Christmas Album, sometimes referred to as Connie's Christmas Album or just Christmas Album, is the second album by English child singer Connie Talbot, released on 24 November 2008. The album is made up of Christmas-themed songs, and was recorded in the middle of 2008. Shortly after the release, Pinnacle Entertainment, the United Kingdom distributor, went into administration. Despite this, the album had some success in Asia and the United States, and Talbot's third album, Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic, included many of the same tracks. Talbot appeared publicly to promote the album, including an appearance on ITV Central in December, and embarked on a tour, making stops around the world. Critics responded warmly to the album, describing Talbot's voice as "sweet".

Recording and release

Talbot's voice was recorded near her home. Other parts of the album were recorded elsewhere in the UK, as well as in the US, Bulgaria and Hong Kong.{{cite web |title= Connie Talbot's Christmas Album|url= http://www.connietalbot.asia/en/music/22-connie-talbots-christmas-album|publisher= ConnieTalbot.asia|access-date=1 November 2011}} Connie Talbot's Christmas Album contains "a mix of classics and modern Christmas tunes", and was produced by Simon Hill and Rob May, who produced her first album, Over the Rainbow. Big band arrangements on the album included music from Laurence Cottle Big Band, while the orchestral sections of the more traditional songs were performed by the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra. The duet on "When a Child Is Born" was performed by Talbot and Ginger Kwan.{{cite web|title=Connie Talbot – Connie Talbot's Christmas Album (CD Deluxe)| url=http://www.evo88.com/en/music?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=111|publisher=Evo88.com| access-date=1 November 2011}} Describing the recording of the album, Talbot said "I really liked it. I liked all the songs they picked and everything. It was really good and enjoyable."{{cite news |first= Ed|last= Masley|title= Connie Talbot enjoying British pop stardom 'really nicely'|url= http://www.azcentral.com/ent/music/articles/2008/11/26/20081126connietalbot.html|newspaper= The Arizona Republic|date= 26 November 2008|access-date=27 November 2008 }} Five tracks ("Let it Snow!", "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", "Jingle Bell Rock", "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Frosty the Snowman") were recorded in the style of a big band, while the remainder were recorded in a "more traditional" style.{{cite news |title= Connie Talbot new Christmas album|format= press release|url= http://top40-charts.com/news/Pop-Rock/Connie-Talbot-NEW-Christmas-Album/44355.html|publisher= Top40-charts.com|date= 19 November 2008|access-date=19 November 2008 }}

Connie Talbot's Christmas Album was released on 24 November 2008.{{cite news|first= Dennis|last= Ellam|title= Connie: The world tour|url= https://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/2008/11/16/connie-the-world-tour-115875-20898817/|work= Daily Mirror|date= 16 November 2008|access-date= 16 November 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090213201125/http://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/2008/11/16/connie-the-world-tour-115875-20898817/|archive-date= 13 February 2009|url-status= dead}} The album was difficult to obtain in Britain after the distributor, Pinnacle Entertainment, went into administration. Talbot's mother, Sharon, was quoted as saying, "We don't really know what's going to happen at the moment ... We think they'll probably wait and promote the album later this year. It's a shame, but they can still get the album in Asia and the US."{{cite news|title= Connie's album left sitting in warehouse|work= Sutton Coldfield Observer|date= 3 January 2009|page= 7|author= Bowen, Amy}} In 2009, Talbot's third album, Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic, was released in the United States, with many of the same songs as Connie Talbot's Christmas Album, but with rerecorded vocals.{{cite news |title= With a new single and a return visit to the charts, Connie Talbot keeps the momentum going|url= http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/with-a-new-single-and-a-return-visit-to-the-charts-connie-talbot-keeps-the-momentum-going-i-will-always-love-you-is-the-latest-from-the-8-year-old-singing-star-61703592.html|format= press release|agency= PR Newswire|date= 3 March 2009|access-date=7 September 2011}}{{cite web |url= http://www.connietalbot.asia/en/music/30-connie-talbot-holiday-magic|title= Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic|publisher= ConnieTalbot.asia|access-date=1 November 2011}}

Publicity

Before the release of the album, Talbot recorded a "secret concert" at her primary school.{{cite news|title= Singing Connie given TV special|url= https://www.expressandstar.com/2008/11/17/singing-connie-given-tv-special/|work= Express & Star|date= 17 November 2008|access-date= 17 November 2008|archive-date= 24 July 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130724152629/http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/11/17/singing-connie-given-tv-special/|url-status= dead}} The documentary, Christmas with Connie, was shown on ITV Central on 18 December.{{cite news |title= Have you got talent?! |url= http://www.gamezone.com/news/connie_game_all_over_the_tv_connie_talbot_on_nintendo_wii|publisher= GameZone|date= 18 December 2008|access-date=23 October 2011 }} Talbot appeared at the HMV Walsall branch the day after the release to sign copies of the album and to meet fans.{{cite news|title= Young Connie sitting pretty|url= https://www.expressandstar.com/2008/11/26/young-connie-sitting-pretty/|work= Express & Star|date= 26 November 2008|access-date= 26 November 2008|archive-date= 24 July 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130724152642/http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/11/26/young-connie-sitting-pretty/|url-status= dead}} After the release, Talbot embarked on a promotional tour that made stops around the world, including a performance at Ewha Womans University in Korea, where Over the Rainbow had sold over 30,000 copies.{{cite news |title= Connie Talbot wishes Koreans happy holidays|url= http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2008/12/16/2008121661022.html|work= The Chosun Ilbo|date= 16 December 2008|access-date=16 December 2008 }} Talbot also performed on the A Heart for Children television charity gala in Berlin, Germany.{{cn|date=September 2022}} Talbot returned home in mid-December, to have "a quiet family Christmas".{{cite news|title= Little Connie needs a giant Santa sack|url= http://www.birminghammail.net/lifestyle/chipper-club/2008/12/23/little-connie-needs-a-giant-santa-sack-97319-22538444/|work= Birmingham Mail|date= 23 December 2008|access-date= 23 December 2008|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110522012016/http://www.birminghammail.net/lifestyle/chipper-club/2008/12/23/little-connie-needs-a-giant-santa-sack-97319-22538444/|archive-date= 22 May 2011}} Plans were made for a promotional trip to the US in 2009.

Critical reception and sales

{{Album ratings

|rev1=FemaleFirst

|rev1Score=(4/5)

}}

Ruth Harrison, writing for FemaleFirst magazine, gave the album 4/5, saying that Talbot has "a great voice when it comes to swing, but lets us down in parts".{{cite news |first= Ruth|last= Harrison|title= Album review: Connie Talbot's Christmas Album|url= http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/music/features/Album+Review+Connie+Talbots+Christmas+Album-6453.html|work= FemaleFirst|date= 27 November 2008|access-date=30 November 2008 }} Harrison said that Talbot struggled with the "rock sound" associated with "Merry Christmas Everybody", but said that the vocals on "Ave Maria" are "incredible", and that the bonus tracks "really are a bonus". The Leicester Mercury published a review from a nine-year-old critic, Natasha Dattani, who said that Talbot "has a nice voice, it's very cute", and added that "older people, like grandparents, will really like" the album.{{cite news |title= The artist as a young man|author1=Dattani, Natasha |author2=Hall, Terry |author3=Sibson, Matt |author4=Turnell, Cat |newspaper= Leicester Mercury|date= 11 December 2008|page= 7}} James Whittle, writing for the South China Morning Post, described the album as "chock-a-block with old-time favourites", calling Talbot "sweet-voiced".{{cite news |title= Festive tunes for every taste|author= Whittle, James|newspaper= South China Morning Post|date= 30 November 2008|page= 4}}

Despite the problems in the United Kingdom, which left hundreds of copies of the album in warehouses, Amy Bowen of the Walsall Advertiser wrote that the album was proving successful in Asia.{{cite news |title= Credit crunch let down for Connie fans|author= Bowen, Amy|newspaper= Walsall Advertiser|date= 1 January 2009|page= 8}} In its first week of release, Connie Talbot's Christmas Album sold 4,551 copies worldwide, and, as of December 2009, it has sold 14,913.{{cite news |title= Key releases|newspaper= Music Week|date= 5 December 2009|page= 20}}

Track listing

This is the main track listing as given by AllMusic."[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1447980|pure_url=yes}} Connie Talbot's Christmas Album]". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 July 2010. The ordering of both the main and bonus tracks varies between releases, and different releases have different bonus tracks.Compare the listings given by AllMusic, Amazon and Evo88, which is linked from Talbot's official site.

"[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1447980|pure_url=yes}} Connie Talbot's Christmas Album]". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
"[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Connie-Talbots-Christmas-Album-Talbot/dp/B001HZ9AE4 Connie Talbot's Christmas Album]". Amazon. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
"[http://www.evo88.com/en/music?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=111 Connie Talbot's Christmas Album]". Evo88.com. Retrieved 8 September 2011. For example, the Hong Kong release contained only the bonus tracks "Silent Night" and "White Christmas".

{{tracklist

| title1 = Let it Snow!

| note1 =

| writer1 = Sammy Cahn (lyricist) and Jule Styne (composer)

| length1 = 2:33

| title2 = When a Child Is Born

| note2 = Duet with Ginger Kwan

| writer2 = Fred Jay (lyricist) and Zacar (composer)

| length2 = 3:09

| title3 = Frosty the Snowman

| note3 =

| writer3 = Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson