Music Stars Featured in New Hallmark Christmas Movies

Heavy/Getty

Cher, Taylor Swift, Norah Jones and Katharine McPhee

When fans tune in to Hallmark’s slate of 2023 Countdown to Christmas movies, they may notice some familiar voices. Hallmark has long partnered with some of music’s biggest stars for its iconic holiday films, and this year is no different.

From Taylor Swift to Cher to American Idol stars, here’s your guide to which music stars contributed to Hallmark’s 2023 holiday lineup.

Pop icons ring in the holidays with branding

To kick off its 2023 Countdown to Christmas program, Hallmark hosted a party for partners and influencers in New York City on October 18. Nine-time GRAMMY winner Norah Jones performed some of her hits at the swanky event, including her 2021 song “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones).” This song will be featured in Hallmark’s original film “Navigating Christmas,” premiering November 17 and starring Stephen Huszar and Chelsea Hobbs star.

Meanwhile, Swifties took notice in October when Hallmark made an appearance Taylor SwiftThe 2019 holiday single “Christmas Tree Farm” is in early promos for Hallmark’s 2023 Countdown to Christmas list. Although Hallmark promoted the collaboration with Swift-inspire posts via social media, these have since been deleted. A fan though recorded and published one of the full promos on Reddit.

Another hard-to-miss pop icon gracing Hallmark’s Christmas lineup is Cher. Her Partnership with Hallmark This resulted in songs from their very first Christmas album “Christmas”, which can be seen in five of their new Christmas films. It’s hard to miss Cher’s new song in “The Santa Summit,” starring Hunter King and Benjamin Hollingsworth, which premiered November 5 “DJ plays a Christmas song” during the dance party scene.

Hear a duet titled “Home” by Cher and Scott Wolf in A Merry Scottish Christmas by Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf, premiering November 18th Michael Buble. And when “Holiday Road” premieres Nov. 24 with an ensemble cast including Sara Canning and Warren Christie, it will also include Cher’s rendition of “Run Rudolph Run.”

On December 9th, Cher and Darlene LoveThe classic Christmas song duet “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)” can be heard during the premiere of “Christmas on Cherry Lane,” which features a star-studded cast including Jonathan Bennett, Catherine Bell and Erin Cahill. Finally, listen to Cher’s new song “Angels in the Snow” at the premiere of “Friends and Family Christmas” with Ali Liebert and Humberly González on December 17th.

Another pop star lending her voice to Hallmark’s Christmas program is Ingrid Michaelsonwhose song “This Christmas” can be heard in “A Heidelberg Holiday,” which premiered on November 12th.

“I was asked to write a song to play under the final scene of an upcoming Christmas Hallmark movie,” Michaelson said recently told Broadway World. “I love everything to do with Christmas, so I jumped at the chance. I watched the movie and wrote this song a few inspired minutes after the movie ended; I wanted to capture the feeling of being present and grateful in the moment while celebrating the most wonderful time of the year!”

Several former “American Idol” stars star in new Hallmark Christmas movies

This season features American Idol alums Hunter Girl, Grace Leer And Katharine McPhee lend their voices to several Hallmark films.

Leer, who was a finalist on Season 18 of “Idol” in 2020, is a rising country star in Nashville. Her first film role was in “Time for Her to Come Home for Christmas,” which premiered on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on November 30 and starred Shenae Grimes-Beech and Chris Carmack.

On November 13, Leer shared an Instagram clip from the film, which is executive produced by country superstar Blake Shelton, and said it was “such a dream” to be a part of it. Three days earlier, she also shared a montage of videos It was created while she was filming the film for three weeks in Vancouver, British Columbia.

However, Leer won’t be the first “American Idol” alum to star in a Hallmark movie. Country star Lauren Alaina, a runner-up in 2011, co-starred with Tyler Hynes in 2021’s “Roadhouse Romance.” Kellie Pickler, a finalist on the fifth season of “Idol,” starred alongside Wes Brown in two “Christmas at Graceland” films in 2018 and 2019, as well as the holiday film “The Mistletoe Secret.” And season six winner Jordin Sparks starred in “A Christmas Treasure” in 2021.

Now second in the 20th season Hunter GirlAnother rising country star, whose single “Ain’t About You” is currently climbing the charts, has two new Christmas songs in this year’s Hallmark Christmas movies.

HunterGirl’s upbeat song “Hurry Up Christmas” is featured in Andrew Walker’s latest film, “Christmas Island.” And her song “Christmas Again” can be heard during “Haul Out the Holly: All Lit Up,” premiering Nov. 25 and starring Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown.

“When I found out that two songs I wrote would be featured in the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, I was so happy for my entire family, especially my grandma,” she said in a statement from her record label, BBR Music. “I’ve been watching Hallmark Christmas movies with my family since I was little Girlso I listen to my song “Hurry Up Christmas” in Christmas Island The weekend was a moment I will never forget.”

In addition to Leer and HunterGirl, singer and actress McPhee, who placed second in the fifth season of “Idol,” can also be heard in this season’s Hallmark films. Her version of “Jingle Bell Rock,” performed with her husband, legendary music producer David Foster, is featured on “Catch Me If You Claus,” premiering November 23.

Liv Lane is an entertainment writer who covers Hallmark Channel, HGTV, American Idol and The Voice for Heavy. She has three decades of experience as a local and national radio host, brand publicist and creative consultant, interviewing and working with a wide range of dignitaries and celebrities, from Deepak Chopra to Lil Nas X. Liv is also an accomplished watercolor artist whose intuitive art is practiced throughout the USA and Canada sold. Liv attended the University of Minnesota and lives in Minneapolis. More about Liv Lane