''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'', also known as ''Connie Talbot's Christmas Magic'', is the third album by British child singer
Connie Talbot. Released 13 October 2009 by AAO Music, it features rerecordings of songs from Talbot's previous album, ''
Connie Talbot's Christmas Album'', as well as new tracks. The album was released after Talbot was named child ambassador for the
Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. It was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.
The Marine T ...
Campaign, and some of the proceeds from the album were given to the organisation. The album was marketed with a tour of the United States, a
cross-marketing campaign with
Boscov's
Boscov's Inc. is a family-owned department store with over fifty locations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Rhode Island. Twenty-six of the stores are located in Pennsylvania.
Corpo ...
, and a television special produced by
WVIA, a DVD of which was later released for sale. Reviews of the album were mixed; while Talbot was called "sweet" and her range was praised, other reviewers considered the album to be "cloying" and "little more than a novelty act".
Production
In September 2009, it was announced that Talbot had been named child ambassador of the Marine Corps
Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. It was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.
The Marine T ...
Campaign,
a charitable programme which purchases toys for underprivileged American children. It was announced that, in addition to promoting the drive on adverts and on television, Talbot's forthcoming album, ''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'', would be dedicated to the campaign.
Further, a portion of the proceeds from the sales of the album were to be donated to the charity.
Talbot said that upon being declared ambassador, she was "I'm sad and happy—sad because I'm learning there are so many children who are not as lucky as I am, and I'm happy that I'm able to help them."
Vice-president of the Toys for Tots Foundation Bill Grein said:
The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is extremely proud and excited to have Connie as our youngest ambassador ever ... She is the
perfect person to inform the public of the millions of less fortunate children who may be overlooked this Christmas holiday season, unless people step up to donate a toy or make a cash contribution. Her angelic looks and voice will remind everyone of the innocence of children ... And they all deserve to experience the magic of the holiday season! I hope she sells lots of CDs and raises a lot of money and awareness for our children.
The track listing of ''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'' was compiled by people including Talbot's family and friends, and AAO Music manager Peter Kuys; of the tracks, Talbot said that her favourite was "When a Child Is Born".
Some of the songs had previously appeared on ''
Connie Talbot's Christmas Album'', and Talbot's official site describes ''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'' as "re-launched".
However, ''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'' also featured three new songs, and the album's vocals were completely rerecorded.
Release and promotion
''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'' was released on 13 October 2009, by the Albany-based record label AAO Music. The release was promoted by a United States tour
and a television special. The special, entitled ''Holiday Magic'', was taped from 24 to 27 September, and produced by
WVIA. ''Holiday Magic'' featured performances of all of the songs from ''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'', and was available to all
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
stations to be shown in November and December.
On the special, Talbot performed with a choir from
Scranton High School.
A 17-track DVD of the performance, featuring all of the songs from ''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'', and two additional songs, "What a Wonderful World" and "Over the Rainbow", was produced. In addition, the DVD featured an interview with Talbot and behind the scenes footage.
Appearances in the United States included performances at the
Colonie Center
Colonie Center is a shopping mall located in Roessleville, New York, a suburb of Albany, at the intersection of Central Avenue, Wolf Road, and Interstate 87. Opening in 1966, it was the first enclosed shopping mall in New York's Capital Re ...
.
In addition, Talbot participated in a cross-marketing campaign with
Boscov's
Boscov's Inc. is a family-owned department store with over fifty locations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Rhode Island. Twenty-six of the stores are located in Pennsylvania.
Corpo ...
; she received signage and merchandising at Boscov's stores, and wore Boscov's clothes. Albert Boscov, of Boscov's, said "We're thrilled that Connie—such a talented youngster—is joining us to bring a little
holiday magic to everyone this holiday season."
Kuys, of AAO Music, said "We have had a long relationship with Boscov's over the last decade. This campaign was personally picked by Mr. Boscov, and we feel that both parties can be perfect for each other while adding great value to Connie's Toys for Tots campaign."
Reception
''Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic'' received mixed reviews. Sunny Tse, reviewing the album for the ''
South China Morning Post
The ''South China Morning Post'' (''SCMP''), with its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Morning Post'', is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remaine ...
'', said that the album was "just right for the kids", but added that Talbot's "stunning rendition of 'Ave Maria' ... will blow your mind".
Jonathan Takiff, writing for ''
The Philadelphia Daily News
''Philadelphia Daily News'' is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper is owned by The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC, which also owns ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', a daily newspaper in Philadelphia.
The ''Daily ...
'', said that "
stening to her trill through 'Silent Night,' the calypso-flavored 'Mary's Boy Child' and 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' might inspire your kids." He gave the album a B−.
David Burger, writing for ''
The Salt Lake Tribune
''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871."
History ...
'', gave the album a B, and praised Talbot's range, saying that there were "sweet, playful and jazzy arrangements".
Reviewers also praised the link with the Toys for Tots Foundation, which Tse considered "one more reason why you should grab a copy."
While Tse described Talbot's voice as "sweet" and "beautiful",
and Takiff called her "a freak of nature, with a grown-up singing voice in the body of a (just-turned) 9-year-old",
other reviewers were more critical. Jon Bream, of the ''
Minneapolis Star Tribune
''The Minnesota Star Tribune'', formerly the ''Minneapolis Star Tribune'', is an American daily newspaper based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As of 2023, it is Minnesota's largest newspaper and the seventh-largest in the United States by circula ...
'', called the album "more cloying than cute", and David Yonke, writing for ''
The Blade'', described Talbot's performance as "little more than a novelty act because of the overly sappy backdrop".
Yonke did praise Talbot for her "impressive vocal skills", but considered her "earnestness
swasted on arrangements that sound as if they were ripped from a 1930s Shirley Temple songbook".
Wayne Bledsoe, writing for
ScrippsNews, said that Talbot "has a great voice for a kid", but added that "this album wore me out. Maybe it's the never-ending vibrato."
Credits
*Dave Bishop – Clarinet, saxophone
*Ben Castle – Clarinet, flute
*Laurence Cottle – Arrangement
*Elspeth Dutch – French horn
*Sid Gauld – Trumpet
*Graham Harvey – Piano
*Simon Hill – Arrangement, drums, editing, mixing, percussion, production, programming
*Chris Jackson – Photography
*Debbie Johnson – Backing vocals
*Noel Langley – Trumpet
*Hank Linderman – Acoustic guitar, electric guitar
*Rob May – Arrangement, bass, editing, keyboards, mixing, piano, production, programming
*Mark Nightingale – Trombone
*Andy Panayi – Alto saxophone, flute
*Phil Robson – Guitar
*Ralph Salmins – Drums
*Jamie Talbot – Flute, tenor saxophone
*Nichol Thompson – Trombone
*Pat White – Trumpet
*Martin Williams – Flute, tenor saxophone
*Andy Wood – Trombone
Track listing
References
Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic overview AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
. Accessed 10 September 2011.
Connie Talbot's Holiday Magic credits AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
. Accessed 10 September 2011.
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2009 Christmas albums
Christmas albums by English artists
Connie Talbot albums
2000s covers albums
Pop Christmas albums