With Halloween 2024 behind us, most people have already begun putting up their holiday decorations. Next month, those folks will have a televised musical soundtrack to further set the festive mood.
Music icon Smokey Robinson and legend in the making Halle Bailey are set to serve as the host of A Motown Christmas. The two-hour holiday special presented by NBC will shine a light on the lasting impact the label, its artists, and signature sounds has had over the decades.
On December 11 at 9 p.m. Eastern, the network is schedule to air the multi-hour performance featuring sets by hosts Robinson and Halle, Ashanti, Andra Day, BeBe Winans, Jamie Foxx, JoJo, Jordin Sparks, MGK, October London, and Pentatonix.
But the lineup doesn’t end there, former label acts Gladys Knight, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the Temptations are also listed as special entertainment.
In addition to those acts, A Motown Christmas will feature a world exclusive performance from the Broadway company of MJ The Musical. Rickey Minor has been taped to lead the 11-piece live band.
Viewers should expect to hear songs such as The Jacksons’ “ABC,” Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Martha Reeves & the Vandellas’ “Dancing in the Streets,” Gladys Knight & The Pips’ “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, The Temptations’ “My Girl”, Four Tops’ “Reach Out (I’ll be There)” and Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown”, The Supremes’ “Stop (In the Name of Love),” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.”
In a statement, Jen Neal, the Executive Vice President of Live Events & Specials at NBCUniversal Entertainment expressed their excitement for the special. “Motown’s timeless hits have played as a soundtrack for American families for the last six decades,” said Neal. “NBC is honored to spotlight the iconic legacy of Motown with a festive celebration for the holiday season.”
NBC will air A Motown Christmas on December 11 at 9 p.m. The following day (December 12), the special will be available to stream on Peacock. A Motown Christmas is produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill. Find more information here.