LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Cher recently graced 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' with her presence, where she shared some interesting insights. The 77-year-old discussed how she managed to get Stevie Wonder to participate in her new holiday album 'Christmas'.
Cher and Wonder joined for a festive collaboration, breathing new life into 'What Christmas Means to Me'. The collaboration is known as a highlight of the 'Dancing Queen' hitmaker's first-ever Christmas album.
Cher dishes about her Christmas album
'Christmas' is the twenty-seventh studio album by the renowned American singer, Cher. The album was launched on October 20, 2023, under the Warner Records label.
This album marks her return to creating original material after a decade, the last one being 'Closer to the Truth' in 2013. Additionally, this is Cher’s debut Christmas album.
The 77-year-old legend shared with Jimmy the process of recording her Christmas album.
"I was in my house. I recorded most of it in my house, some of it in England with my producer," Cher began.
"But I just picked out these kind of songs that don't necessarily go together. But when you put them together, they're really good."
With a joyful demeanor, Cher shared with Fallon, "It's just to have a happy thing. Chuck Berry, and Stevie sings on the album with me. He sings on the song."
Cher talks about getting Stevie Wonder to agree to 'Christmas' collab
Jimmy asked the singer on the show, "How did you get -- I mean, obviously you're Cher, you just called. But how did you get Stevie Wonder to go yeah, I'll do, what, Christmas -- he'll do."
Much to his astonishment, Cher confessed, "No, I was so terrified. I’m not kidding. I was."
"I was like, ooh. I called him because, look, I'd done the song, but there was just some parts of it that were just Stevie. I couldn't find it and it was just Stevie," she continued.
"So I called him and -- and I said, 'Hi, Stevie, it's me. And he said, 'hi, and how are you?'" Cher recalls blurting out her request without any preamble, saying "I just said 'I've done your song and I -- but there are some parts I can't do, I just can't do it.'"
Cher went on, "And he said, 'Okay, consider it done." It was like, well, "Do you not want me to pitch it more?' - He just said 'yes' immediately."
Cher further said Stevie "didn't even know" what she wanted him to do. I just said, 'I'll send it to you.' And so -- and he did it. It's so good. Alright, but that's not the cool part."
"In the middle, he says, 'is it my song?' And I went, 'well, yeah, it's your song.' And then at the end he said, 'Hey, Cher, Cher, Cher.' And I went, 'What?' He said, 'Do you want me to play harmonica?'"
"And the truth is no matter what kind of mood I'm in, when I hear him play the harmonica, I can only smile. But that's not the best part."
Cher gleefully described the "little kid" act she did next, "So when I hung up, I ran around my room, jumped on my bed. I jumped up and down and just kept screaming, 'Stevie Wonder is going to be on my album.'"
Fans loved Cher for her 'uplifting spirit' on Fallon's show
Fans adored Cher even more after her appearance on Fallon's show. One person commented, "Love Cher! She always herself and like a teenager in her mind."
Another user wrote, "She looks phenomenal and her spirit is so uplifting and contagious. I'm going to buy a new vinyl player just as an excuse to pick up both of these records."
"I'm so happy she's on here!!!" wrote another.
"Loved this interview! Thankful to iconic Cher & humble Jimmy, great story Chering," noted another.
"She talks about not being able to not smile when stevies on harmonica but I wish she knew I can't help but smile when I see her in anything," said another.
