Former DWTS Guest Judge Shares Details on Her First-Ever Christmas Album

Heavy/ABC The "Dancing With the Stars" mirrorball trophy.

Christmas has come early for Cher fans.

The iconic Grammy-winning singer and one-time “Dancing With the Stars” guest judge has announced the release of her Christmas album – the first in her 60-year career – due out October 20, 2023. The complete track list for Cher’s first studio album in a decade has also been released, as well as the first single.

While fans are thrilled about the new music, in an accompanying interview, the “Believe” singer admitted that she never thought she’d ever release a holiday album.

Here’s what you need to know:

Cher Released the First Song for Her Album, ‘Christmas’

Cher has been teasing her Christmas album for several months. On her Instagram page, the 77-year-old music legend has shared a snippet of the opening track, “DJ Play a Christmas Song.” But on October 6, the song was released online. After getting that teaser, fans are now waiting for the full album to drop.

In an interview with Billboard, Cher admitted she never thought she’d release an album full of Christmas tunes. “I had no intention of doing a Christmas album,” she said. “But [Warner Records] said, ‘Why don’t you do a Christmas album, Cher?’ and I said if I can do my version I’ll do it.”

While speaking with the outlet, the music icon explained that the songs aren’t the usual “Christmas Christmas songs,” She has instead described them as  simply “great songs.” “Everybody’s gotten ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ and ‘Jingle Bells’ and all that,” Cher added. “I just said to [the record company] ‘There will be Christmas songs and they’ll be appropriate, but I want to do what I feel.’”

While this is Cher’s first official Christmas album, she has been known to belt out a holiday tune or two in the past. In 1999, she teamed up with Rosie O’Donnell to record a version of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” for the album, “A Rosie Christmas.”

She has also performed Christmas songs with her former husband, Sonny Bono, on “The Sonny and Cher Show” back in the 1970s.

Cher Has an Impressive List of Musical Guests on Her 2023 Christmas Album

In August 2023, Cher spoke about her album in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a Cher Christmas album, whatever that brings along with the name,” she said. “It’s definitely my idea of a Christmas album. I had to do what I felt. There’s no ‘Silent Night.’”

While there are no traditional Christmas hymns on the album, there is a mix of new songs and covers. “I really am proud of this. It’s a Cher Christmas album. It’s not your mother’s Christmas album,” she told “Good Morning Britain” in an interview in September.

“I’m really, really excited because there’s millions of people on it!”  she added. “I’ve never had duets! …I’ve never had people on any of my records and this was a last-minute thing. I’m kind of a last-minute girl.”

“They’re special,” she added of the guest singers. “I mean, I’m in awe of all of them.”

The full track list has now been posted by Billboard – including all of her mystery guest duet partners. In addition to her solo songs, Cher’s album includes collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Michael Bublé, Cyndi Lauper, and Darlene Love.

READ NEXT: DWTS Runner-Up Reveals the Only Way He’d Return to the Ballroom