Folk singer-songwriter Jillian Antinora embraces her favorite parts of the holiday season in her new Christmas album, The Joys Of Christmas, out now. This jubilant project includes original Christmas-pop tracks mixed in with beloved standards steeped in the holiday spirit. Antinora’s pristine vocal performance lets listeners in on not only her go-to Christmas tunes but what truly makes this season so special for her. She especially channels this in original tracks like “Just What We Needed,” where she set out to create something “that reminds us what Christmas brings us.” For Antinora, the anthem “brings peace, love, and freedom from fear.” The singer-songwriter acknowledges that “we have been living with so much fear lately, we need a rest and we need to let the light and joy back into our lives,” she says. “Christmas gives us this and it’s just what we need!” Antinora’s passion shines through with a show-stopping brilliance on each track throughout The Joys Of Christmas.
Antinora lets her honeyed vocals take the spotlight on this record. Her silky tone and masterful control give her the ability to paint each mix with a mesmerizing melody. Unassuming bells delicately caress Antinora’s voice in “Joys Of Christmas” before blossoming into an epic chorus embellished with the colorful harmony of dazzling background vocals. “Joy To The World” is a lively track led by spritely staccato fingerpicking in which Antinora is joined by the harmonies of her 15-year-old daughter; Antinora beautifully makes the space to celebrate the importance of family on this track. She effortlessly leans into her technical skill with a glamorously polished performance on “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” This smooth jazz track – characterized by heavenly keys and a rich bassline – sets the perfect mood for a snowy night by the fireplace. The songwriter, entrepreneur, and musical theater actress wrote “Just What We Needed” and “Joys Of Christmas” in collaboration with friend and colleague Chris Kittrell. At its core, this record is an invitation for listeners to embrace the warmth of the holiday season in spite of the hardships that have troubled us all over the last year and a half.
Jillian Antinora is the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for her compositions. Jillian was born in Belleville, Illinois. She grew up in Las Vegas, NV, and later moved to Colorado Springs, CO. Growing up, she studied ballet and was classically trained in voice as a lyric soprano beginning at age 15. In 1996 she moved to New York City to attend American Music and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) and pursue her dream of working in the theatre. She worked professionally in musical theatre around the U.S. and on cruise ships for 6 years before getting married in San Diego in 2002. She then lived in Sicily for 3 years where she studied opera. In 2008, she returned to Fort Collins, Colorado where she now lives. Jillian lives with her husband and their 6 children. Jillian and her husband TJ own 3 Subway restaurants, and Jillian runs her own real estate agency. Jillian began playing the guitar and writing songs when her youngest child was born in 2015. She released her first album in June 2021. She loves writing these songs and she hopes you love listening to them!