| Artist | Fantasia |
|---|---|
| Cover | Christmas After Midnight.jpg |
| Released | October 6, 2017[1] |
| Recorded | 2017 |
| Length | 39:14 |
| Label | Concord |
| Producer | Ron Fair[1] |
| Prev year | 2016 |
| Next year | 2019 |
Christmas After Midnight is the first Christmas album, and sixth studio album, by American recording artist Fantasia. It was released by Concord Records on October 6, 2017, in the United States, serving as the singer's debut release with the label after departing from RCA soon after releasing her previous album, The Definition Of... (2016). Chiefly produced by frequent collaborator Ron Fair, the album was recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville, compromising a festive mix of renditions of Fantasia's favorite rock, soul, jazz, funk, and blues holiday classics.[1] Upon its release, the album debuted at number five on Billboard's Top Holiday Albums chart.
Critical reception
Eric Renner Brown from Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A− rating and wrote: "Sure, the American Idol winner makes downtempo classics from "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to "Silent Night" glisten. But the standouts on her first holiday album are impassioned, upbeat takes on Ray Charles ("The Snow Is Falling") and James Brown ("Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto").[2] Writing for Variety, Chris Willman found that "Fantasia has made a smart call to go with brassy but far from overbearing horn arrangements in this jazz-skirting pop/R&B collection." He praised Fantasia for the revival of "The Snow is Falling," but criticized labeling Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" as a Christmas song.[3]
Commercial performance
Christmas After Midnight opened and peaked at number 193 on the US Billboard 200 and missed the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Fantasia's lowest-charting album so far.[4] It reached number 23 on the Top R&B Albums chart, however, and entered the Top Holiday Albums at number three.[5]
Charts
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Holiday Albums (Billboard)[5] | 3 |
References
- ^ "Fantasia Announces Holiday Album 'Christmas After Midnight'". Rap-Up. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ Renner Brown, Eric (November 22, 2017). "10 of the best (and worst) new holiday releases". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ Willman Brown, Chris (December 15, 2017). "Holiday Albums Reviewed: Sia, Gwen Stefani, Cheap Trick, Fantasia Lead Parade of Christmas Releases". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ Billboard200
- ^ "Fantasia Christmas After Midnight Album". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2017.[dead link]