Grammy-nominated singer Eric Benét has unwrapped his first holiday album, It’s Christmas.
The 11-track project features a collection of Benét’s take on festive standards, including “Give Love On Christmas Day” and “Oh Holy Night,” and originals such as “Merry Christmas, Babe” and “It’s Christmas.” He co-wrote the latter two with Randy Emata, who also co-produced the album with Benét.
“I’ve always wanted to record a Christmas album, but I knew that when the time came, I didn’t want it to sound like a fleeting contemporary project,” Benét tells Rated R&B about It’s Christmas. “I wanted it to feel timeless — like something you might have heard on the radio 20 or 30 years ago, and something that will still feel at home 20, 30, even 40 years from now. That’s harder than it sounds, but I think Randy Emata and I did an incredible job producing, writing, and arranging these songs for It’s Christmas.”
Alongside Emata, Benét also worked closely with Sam SZND to co-write the original tracks, whose “pen brought an extra layer of magic to the words,” he notes. Benét continues, “And I knew from the start that Bob Barrett, who I had the pleasure of working with on my Eric Benét album, had to be part of this. His lush, classic string arrangements don’t just accompany these songs; they wrap them in the sound of Christmastime itself.”
It’s Christmas was released Oct. 10 via Benét’s independent label JBR Creative Group. “I’m deeply proud of this project, and even more so because it’s being released on my own label,” he says. “My hope is that It’s Christmas will bring the spirit of the holidays to listeners every year, for years, and decades to come.”
It’s Christmas is Benét’s second project of 2025, following his duets album, The Co-Star, which arrived in the summer. The Co-Star features collaborations with Tamar Braxton, India.Arie, Keri Hilson, Ari Lennox, Goapele, Judith Hill and others.
The album spawned the No. 1 hits “Something We Can Make Love To” (with Braxton) and “So Distracted” (with Chanté Moore), which topped Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart.
Benét first teased his holiday project in an exclusive interview with Rated R&B earlier this year. When asked about a follow-up to The Co-Star, Benét revealed, “Yes, we’ve already started the new Eric Benét solo album… And here’s the gag: I think I’m going to go in and do a Christmas record too. So it’s a lot of creative energy.”
Stream Eric Benét’s It’s Christmas below.
