Someday at Christmas is American singer Jackie Evancho's second full-length Christmas album, and her seventh album overall. It contains 12 tracks and was produced by Nick Patrick for Sony Masterworks' Portrait label.Evancho, Jackie. Liner notes, Someday at Christmas, October 28, 2016, Sony Music Entertainment The album was released on October 28, 2016 and consists of nine previously released tracks, including collaborations with Plácido Domingo, Peter Hollens and Vittorio Grigolo, and three new tracks, "Someday at Christmas" and two versions of "The Little Drummer Boy", one with Il Volo.Evancho, Jackie. Liner notes: Someday at Christmas, Sony Masterworks (2016), ASIN B01KBGV3GC
The title track, "Someday at Christmas", has an anti-war and civil rights theme. It was written by Ron Miller and Bryan Wells and first released as a single by Stevie Wonder in 1966.Lodder, Steve. "Sixties Recordings", Stevie Wonder: A Musical Guide to the Classic Albums, p. 42, Hal Leonard Corporation (2005) It reached #24 on the Billboard Christmas singles chart that year. It then became the title track to Wonder's 1967 album, Someday at Christmas, which also shares two other tracks this album: "The Little Drummer Boy" and "The Christmas Song"."Stevie Wonder: Someday at Christmas", Allmusic, accessed October 28, 2016
The album peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard 200,Billboard 200 for the week of January 7, 2017, Billboard, accessed December 29, 2016 No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chartClassical Albums, the week of December 17, 2016, Billboard, November 23, 2016 and No. 3 on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart.Holiday Albums, the week of January 21, 2017, Billboard, January 11, 2017
Promotion Evancho performed the title track on the Memphis, Tennessee, morning show Local Memphis Live on November 3, 2016.Local Memphis Live, Nexstar Media Group, November 3, 2016 Shortly before the release of the album, she appeared on the cover of the Fall 2016 issue of Inspiring Lives Magazine. The issue contains an interview, "Jackie Evancho: An Opera Angel and a Pop Star".Forsyth, Jen. "Jackie Evancho: An Opera Angel and a Pop Star", Inspiring Lives Magazine, Fall 2016, pp. 8–13 accessed October 27, 2016 She also performed some of the songs from the album in her 2016 holiday concerts.Jordan, Chris. "Jackie Evancho brings Christmas cheer to the Basie", Asbury Park Press, November 25, 2016; and Barnes, Steve. "Evancho Sparkles, Alas with Little Emotion", Times Union, November 27, 2016
Evancho performed "Little Drummer Boy", together with Il Volo, on NBC's Today Show in New York City on December 14, 2016,Evancho, Jackie. "Jackie Evancho & Il Volo – Little Drummer Boy (Today Show 2016)", YouTube, December 18, 2016 and the title track on Fox's Good Day Chicago the following day."Jackie Evancho performs live on Good Day Chicago", Fox32Chicago.com, December 15, 2016 She sang "Someday at Christmas" on NBC's America's Got Talent Holiday Spectacular on December 19, 2016Longeretta, Emily. "Jackie Evancho Nails 'Someday at Christmas' On AGT Holiday Special", Hollywood Life, December 19, 2016 and on Harry on December 20."Harry", TV Guide, accessed December 20, 2016
Reception The album peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Holiday Albums chart. Someday at Christmas was the No. 27 best-selling classical album of Billboard's 2016 year (which ends after November)."Classical Albums: Year of 2016", Prometheus Global Media, accessed January 1, 2017 It remained on the Classical Albums chart for 14 weeks.Classical Albums chart dated the week of February 18, 2017, Billboard.com, accessed February 8, 2017
A review in Cedar Rapids, Iowa's The Gazette called the album "a shimmering showcase for [Evancho's] incredible vocal range and interests. ... [The] duets in this project display her talents for harmonies, as well as tender melodies."Nollen, Diana. "Holiday Music: 12 discs of Christmas", The Gazette, November 27, 2016 Miriam Di Nunzio wrote in Chicago Sun-Times, "Lush strings, sweeping orchestrations are served well by this 16-year-old songstress. 'Do You Hear What I Hear' is hauntingly beautiful. 'The Christmas Song' is a bit overdramatic, but still likeable. 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' is gentle and sweeping. Evancho’s voice has matured quite nicely and those piercing high notes that she navigates so effortlessly serve her well on this collection."Di Nunzio, Miriam. "New releases’ classic tunes beautifully celebrate Christmas", Chicago Sun-Times December 13, 2016 Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times commented that Evancho "shows off a remarkably mature voice on her classically rooted Christmas outing. The music is at its most gorgeously formal in her duets with superstar tenor Placido Domingo, but she also delivers a nicely down-to-earth version of" the title track.Lewis, Randy. "Holiday album roundup 2016: Garth, R. Kelly, Neil Diamond and more", Los Angeles Times, December 13, 2016
Track listing
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (2016) Peak position
Year-end charts Chart (2016) Position US Top Classical Albums (Billboard) 27 Chart (2017) Position US Top Classical Albums (Billboard) 4
References
External links Jackieevancho.com