Acclaimed pianist, composer and producer CHLOE FLOWER today announces the release of her first-ever holiday album, CHLOE HEARTS CHRISTMAS, available Friday, November 1 from Sony Music Masterworks. A must-have for the season, Chloe Hearts Christmas includes a range of festive favorites, each of which have been newly rearranged by Chloe and given her self-coined “popsical,” or pop-meets-classical treatment. From traditional melodies and beloved standards to contemporary pop hits and holiday film soundtracks, Chloe brings together a dazzling array of musical styles to capture the spirit and sound of the season, enlisting longtime friends and musical icons Questlove and Babyface as collaborators on five of the album’s sixteen tracks. Debuting today alongside album preorder is Chloe’s take on Korean superstar V of BTS’s “Christmas Tree,” which transforms the delicately moving number into a soaring orchestral piece – listen here.
Of today’s track, Chloe says, “It was really important to me to include a Korean artist on the album. BTS have helped pave the way for so many other Korean artists like me, and what they’ve been able to accomplish both as a group and individually as solo artists is really amazing.”
The release of Chloe Hearts Christmas marks a lifelong dream for pianist, composer and producer Chloe Flower, whose love of the season is no secret. “Everyone knows I’m obsessed with Christmas. It’s my favorite time of the year,” she says when asked about the album’s inception, which began in many ways, with last year’s release of her first-ever holiday EP, Christmas with Chloe Flower. The 4-track EP was an immediate success, landing Chloe a coveted spot as the first-ever classical instrumentalist to perform on Disney’s annual Magical Holiday Special. “Performing at their show was a dream come true. I was truly so inspired, and I think even then I knew where my musical journey was taking me next,” Chloe remarks of the experience.
Now making her dreams into reality, Chloe Hearts Christmas arrives as a carefully curated mix of traditional classical pieces, beloved standards and carols, contemporary pop favorites and holiday film cues, each infused with Chloe’s signature “popsical” sound. Chloe fittingly likens the record’s sound to her Christmas traditions growing up, noting, “It’s like my dad’s Christmas dinner plate, filled with stuffing and kimchee. You might not think they go together at first, but they do!” Much like her Korean American spin on Christmas dinner, Chloe’s artistry is rooted in the marriage of traditional classical music and modern pop sensibilities, a talent on full display and taken to new heights on Chloe Hearts Christmas.
Included within the expansive 16-track collection are orchestral selections from Tchaikovsky and Leontovych, beloved standards from Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, contemporary pop hits from BTS’s V, Ariana Grande and Sia, as well as seasonal favorites from Joni Mitchell and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The album also includes a number of selections from films including Anastasia, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Sound of Music and more, showcasing Chloe’s longtime love of the transportive power of cinematic music. A fierce advocate for representation in the music industry, Chloe was also careful in selecting tracks that spoke to her support of female artistry as well as her Asian-American heritage, with selections from V of BTS and songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Sia, Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey.
Joining Chloe as producers on the album are Nick Patrick, a multi-award winner who has worked with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, as well as Chloe’s longtime collaborator and mentor Babyface, who joins Chloe to provide a hip hop-inflected take on “Carol of the Bells.” Also featured across four of the album’s tracks is another of Chloe’s longtime collaborators and friends, Questlove, who adds his legendary percussion skills to “Blue Christmas,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “The Christmas Waltz” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” The duo were joined by Hollywood composer, arranger, and conductor Chris Walden on “Blue Christmas” and “The Christmas Waltz,” of which Chloe says, “I really wanted listeners to hear and feel the nostalgia of that era. Questlove’s knowledge of music and Chris’ repertoire of Old Hollywood arrangements made them the perfect choices to replicate that sound.” The resulting collection effortlessly transcends genres, decades and styles – from the first crisp notes of album opener “Sleigh Ride” to the final flourish of “Jingle Bell Rock” – Chloe Hearts Christmas is a timeless showcase of the rich tapestry of holiday music.
CHLOE HEARTS CHRISTMAS
TRACKLISTING –
1. Sleigh Ride
2. Once Upon a December
3. Christmas Tree
4. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
5. Santa Tell Me
6. Blue Christmas (featuring Questlove)
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (featuring Questlove)
8. River
9. Where Are You Christmas
10. Carol of the Bells (co-produced with Babyface)
11. Snowman
12. The Christmas Waltz (featuring Questlove)
13. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
14. A Liberace Christmas
15. The Sound of Music Medley
16. Jingle Bell Rock (featuring Questlove)
ABOUT CHLOE FLOWER
Visionary artist Chloe Flower became the most talked about pianist in the world after a show-stopping performance with rap queen Cardi B at the 2019 Grammy Awards, launching her into viral fame nearly overnight and prompting her major label debut with Sony Music Masterworks. The Pennsylvania native began playing the piano at the age of two, studying at Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard and London’s Royal Academy of Music before meeting her mentor, the 12-time GRAMMY Award-winning R&B singer-songwriter and producer, Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds. In the years since, Chloe has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, including artists like Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Celine Dion, 2Chainz and Nas as well as producers like Mike WiLL Made-It (Miley Cyrus / Beyonce) and Tommy Brown (Ariana Grande / Justin Bieber). Releasing her self-titled debut in 2021, Chloe has coined the term “popsical” to describe her imitable style, which infuses classical music with a contemporary pop sensibility.
Chloe is not only a gifted musician and fashion icon but also an outspoken activist as well. She is an artist ambassador for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, has been honored by the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Activism (CAST) and, most recently, received an award from Gloria Steinem at the Asia Society’s Last Girl Awards for her efforts in the fight against human trafficking. A champion of music education, Chloe has spoken at the United Nations as an ambassador and is the youngest board member of the Liberace Foundation. An official Steinway Arist, Chloe proudly celebrates her Asian heritage and culture and is a fierce advocate for women’s representation — particularly women of color — in the music industry.