TORONTO – All Michael Buble wants for Christmas is Shania Twain – and it looks like his wish has been granted.
In a live video chat with fans this week, Buble revealed that he’s been recording a Christmas album and he’s already done a splashy duet with his fellow Canuck pop star.
“There’s a couple duets that I really like, one with Shania Twain, which is really fantastic,” Buble said in a video streamed from the historic Capitol Studios in Los Angeles.
“‘White Christmas,’ we did. We did it bouncy. I was inspired by ‘Home Alone,’ the Drifters.”
The Burnaby, B.C., native said that the record would be helmed by Canadian producers David Foster and Bob Rock.
And while he hasn’t finalized the track list yet, he says he’s also recorded “Jingle Bells” with the U.K. swing trio the Puppini Sisters, as well as versions of “Blue Christmas,” Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” and an original track co-penned with musical director Alan Chang.
Though Buble didn’t indicate when the Christmas record would be released, his enthusiasm for the project was obvious.
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“I wanted to make the quintessential Christmas record,” said the three-time Grammy winner. “I wanted to make a record that would outlive me, and I wanted to do for people what Bing Crosby did for me. He introduced me to the world of jazz and melody.
“And I didn’t want to be hip or edgy. I just wanted to make a really sweet Christmas record that kids can grow up with.”
At a different point in the chat, he was even more emphatic.
“I know this is going to sound weird but I think you guys can expect probably the best album I’ve made so far.”
Although the 35-year-old issued a Christmas EP in 2003 called “Let it Snow,” he dismissed that project now and said this was the holiday-themed record he had been waiting to make.
“I wanted to record this album from the start. The truth is, the only reason I didn’t do it is because I felt like I had to establish myself more as an artist before I gave myself the opportunity to put out a Christmas record,” he said.
“We did an EP years and years ago, it was six songs, but that wasn’t mine. I was just a kid, and I sort of just sang on it. And even the arrangements weren’t mine…. I didn’t have my imprint on it except for the voice.”
With that bit of business out of the way, Buble eagerly entertained wide-ranging questions from the 2,000-plus fans who tuned in to the chat.
The irreverent crooner held court on his wine of choice, whether he would ever head to Broadway (he’s been offered to do a “bunch of musicals,” he responded, but isn’t interested in staying in one place that long) and even how he would assemble his dream dinner party, including guests living or dead.
“I would have my wife, I’d have Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Claudia Schiffer and David Copperfield – because I think that David could trick them into doing it with me. Magic,” he said, smiling.
But the newlywed – who married Argentine actress Luisana Lopilato in the spring – got serious when asked about where he saw himself in five years.
“You know what, I want to have kids,” said Buble, clad in a black V-neck T-shirt and suit jacket.
“I’m pretty ready in my life and I think my wife is too. You know, that would be really cool for me. I know we’re talking about Christmas, so it’s kind of perfect, but I can’t wait for Christmas with kids.
“I can’t wait for Christmas, I can’t wait for Disneyland, I can’t wait for all those things. I can’t wait.”
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