Many of us would happily indulge in a constant loop of “All I Want for Christmas is You” by the reigning Queen of the Holiday Season, Mariah Carey. But we have the chance to, now more than ever, consider sprinkling in some Black queer artists on the holiday playlist.One may have to dig for these deep-cut holiday tracks. And to assist in your search for some new tunes for your Christmas party, we’ve pulled together both festive original songs and unique spins on some of our favorite standards—all from both established and new artists from the Black queer community.
Subscribe to Native Son’s newsletter for more news, information, and conversations about Black gay and queer everything.R&B/Soul music nerds are bound to have a little Rahsaan Patterson in their collections. Patterson, a dynamic vocalist with a stacked discography, released his first and only holiday album, The Ultimate Gift, in 2008. Largely co-written by Patterson, there isn’t a reason to press skip on any of the album’s 11 tracks.
About ten minutes into the project, listeners are treated to “Peace and Joy.” This song finds itself properly with one foot in the snow and the other in a smooth groove that you’ll want to carry it into the new year. The chorus, grounded in a fun repetition of “Fa-la-la-la” and paired with Patterson’s playful adlibs, will surely get stuck in your head for hours. The Queen of Drag, RuPaul, is no stranger to making music.
With countless albums under her belt, it’s not a surprise that there’s a holiday album in the mix. In 1997, while hosting a groundbreaking talk show on VH1, RuPaul delivered the Ho, Ho, Ho album to the masses. Predominantly powered by fun takes on standards, it’s hard not to smile when giving it a spin.
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Patterson
Mariah Carey