Charlie Wilson Celebrates A Lifetime Of Love On His First Christmas Original
CHARLIE WILSON CELEBRATES A LIFETIME OF LOVE ON HIS FIRST CHRISTMAS ORIGINAL
LISTEN TO “CHRISTMAS IS YOU” HERE
WATCH "CHRISTMAS IS YOU" VISUALIZER HERE
R&B legend and 13-time GRAMMY nominee Charlie Wilson releases “Christmas Is You.” His first-ever original Christmas record, today via Parandise/P Music Group co-written and produced by longtime P Music Group collaborator, ajsmets. Some Christmas songs are about the season. “Christmas Is You” is about the person who makes the season mean something.
Wilson builds the song on warm piano, sweeping strings and one of the richest, most intimate vocal performances of his career. It carries the familiarity of a timeless Christmas standard with the emotional pull of contemporary R&B, landing tender without feeling overly sentimental.
Lyrically, “Christmas Is You” looks back on the small moments that make up a life together. Wilson sings about a first Christmas with little money and a little tree beside the door, about dancing in the kitchen while the radio played low, and about the nights a couple barely spoke, when love was mostly forgiveness. Through every season, he keeps coming back to the same truth: each December, he falls in love with the same person all over again. It’s a story about commitment, nostalgia and finding home in another person, with Christmas as the backdrop.
Midway through, the music opens up for a spoken moment between Wilson and his four-year-old granddaughter, Phebe. When she wishes her Papa a Merry Christmas and the two trade I-love-yous, the song shows what a lifetime of love builds: a family.
The release adds a new original to the holiday canon from one of the format’s most consistent hitmakers. Wilson has earned 11 No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart, with five of those chart-toppers coming this decade alone. Billboard has twice named him its No. 1 Adult R&B Artist, in 2009 and 2020.
“I’ve always wanted to make a Christmas record, and after everything I’ve been through with my strokes and recovery, I’m more grateful than ever to have this moment. One of my favorite moments was when my granddaughter, Phebe, came into the studio during recording to tell me she loved me. It was so sweet that we decided to keep it in the song. Christmas is about family, love, and making memories, but most importantly, it’s about Jesus. God has been so good to me, and this is just the first of many Christmas records to come. To me, Christmas music is the soundtrack to memories that last a lifetime.” - Charlie Wilson
“When Charlie felt ready to record again, we decided to start working on a Christmas EP, something we’ve wanted to do for many years. While the full EP is planned for release next year, this particular song was so special that we felt it needed to be shared this holiday season. Charlie has been through so much, yet he continues to inspire everyone around him with his strength and spirit. Our wish is that this song brings hope, love, and comfort to everyone this Christmas.” - Michael Paran, CEO of P Music Group.
“Christmas Is You” is available now on all streaming platforms HERE.
Photo Credit: GL Askew II
About Charlie Wilson:
Charlie Wilson is a 13-time GRAMMY-nominated singer, songwriter and producer whose career spans more than five decades. As frontman of The Gap Band, he delivered classics including “Outstanding,” “Yearning for Your Love” and “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” songs that rank among the most sampled in music history. As a solo artist, he has earned 11 No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart, along with honors including the BET Lifetime Achievement Award and the Soul Train Icon Award.
