Country-Pop singer/songwriter and recording artist Jennifer Alvarado recently released her new EP, "Christmas in Carolina," just in time for the holidays! You can listen to the festive collection of songs HERE!
Track Listing:
1. Christmas in Carolina
2. Love Came Down
3. O Holy Night
4. Silent Night
"Christmas has always been my favorite holiday," Jennifer shares. "When I think back to my childhood, I remember how special my grandparents made the holidays. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a kid and when I think of them, I can’t help but smile. I wanted this project to feel like we were gathered in my grandmother’s living room and singing Christmas carols again. The title track “Christmas in Carolina” is dedicated to my Pappaw and Nanny. I will always remember baking with my Nanny and helping my Pappaw setup the Christmas Snow Village. I hope these songs bring a little bit of nostalgia to the listener and to slow down for just a second and remember the magic of Christmas."
Our favorite holiday tune happens to be "O Holy Night" and we absolutely love Jennifer's rendition. Her rich and sultry tone, mixed with a classic acoustic guitar, adds just a bit of "pizazz" to the traditional hit. We also love the inspirstional lyrics behind "Love Came Down."
We recently had a chance to sit down and chat with Jennifer about the holidays, traditions, and her plans for 2024.
Hi, Jennifer! Merry Christmas! Can you tell us a bit about what holidays were like in your house while growing up?
I am an only child and the youngest grandchild, so I spent a lot of time with both sets of my grandparents growing up. My Nanny and Papaw Miller especially made the holidays special and I still have trinkets and decorations that they made. We would celebrate Christmas Eve at their house with a meal, but they always came over first thing on Christmas Day to see what Santa brought me. Church was also a big part of the holiday season. We had fun baking and making holiday crafts, but the birth of Jesus was always the main focus.
What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?
Our family still gets together on Christmas Day and reads the Birth of Jesus. We also go around the room and share what we are grateful for or our biggest highlight of the year. I also have ornaments that I have been collecting from birth…as well as some that were passed down to me by my Nanny. I make sure to always find room for them when decorating for Christmas.
What inspired you to release a collection of holiday tunes?
I think as I have gotten older, I appreciate the traditions and memories more. Especially since all my grandparents have passed away, I wanted to remember them by writing down memories as well as covering some of the classics I grew up singing. This season can be hard for many, so I wanted to remember good things and share a sense of nostalgia with listeners.
What can fans expect from you in the new year?
I am currently working on new music. “Colorado” my latest single is the first song off the project. My focus on touring in 2023, made it difficult to get in the studio, so in 2024 my primary focus in going to be on releasing new music and being more consistent with the creative process.
For more information, visit www.jenniferalvarado.com and follow Jennifer on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Spotify.