Expanded Edition of Kem's WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS Gets 10/29 Release

By: Oct. 07, 2013
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Two-time Grammy Award-nominated Motown Records artist KEM's first Christmas album, WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS, which rose to #9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart one year ago, has now been expanded with four newly-recorded bonus tracks. WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS - DELUXE EDITION, produced (and executive produced) by KEM, will arrive in stores on October 29th, just in time for the 2013 holiday gift-giving season.

WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS - DELUXE EDITION is highlighted by a duet with Verve recording artist Ledisi on "Be Mine For Christmas," and the bonus track "Jesus," featuring legendary R&B artists, Patti LaBelle and Ronald Isley. Both songs are co-written by KEM and his collaborator Melanie Rutherford.

The Deluxe Edition is the fourth Motown release by Detroit's favorite son KEM, who produced the record at state-of-the-art Studio A Recording in nearby Dearborn Heights, MI. The 14-song album weaves new and original Christmas compositions co-written by KEM, his daughter Troi and Melanie Rutherford, along with traditional holiday classics.

The final sequence for WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS - DELUXE EDITION is: 1. Glorify The King * 2. What Christmas Means * 3. A Christmas Song For You * 4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas * 5. Christmas Time Is Here * 6.The Christmas Song * 7. Be Mine For Christmas featuring Ledisi * 8. Merry Christmas Baby * 9. We Three Kings * 10. Doo Wop Christmas (That's What Christmas Is All About) * Bonus Tracks: 11. Jesus featuring Patti LaBelle & Ronald Isley * 12. Bethlehem * 13. Home For Christmas * 14. Lullaby Noel.

KEM's first Christmas album, What Christmas Means, was released on October 16, 2012. After the holiday season, the album had sold 76,000 copies, making it the #3 highest-selling Urban Christmas record in one season. Two tracks from the CD were nominated for the 44th NAACP Image Awards in 2013. "Glorify The King" and "Be Mine For Christmas (ft. Ledisi)" were both nominated in the 'Outstanding Song' category.

KEM (who appeared in the summer 2012 movie Sparkle), was seen by sold-out audiences on his headlining U.S. Intimacy Tour with special guests Musiq Soulchild and Ledisi. In early 2012, KEM made his second trip to South Africa, his biggest international territory outside the U.S., for a pair of sold-out arena concerts in Johannesburg. While visiting, he was presented with gold record plaques by Universal Music South Africa for his first two Motown albums, Kemistry (released 2003) andAlbum II (2005).

After his indie debut album of 2001, Kemistry, sold nearly 15,000 copies, KEM was signed to Universal Motown, who re-released the album in 2003 and saw it rise to #14 on the Billboard R&B chart in 2003. In 2005, KEM previewed music fromAlbum II on a 20-city underground tour, and the album hit RIAA gold sales within two weeks of its release. Album II peaked at #1 R&B/ #5 Pop, and one of its tracks, KEM's original "I Can't Stop Loving You," was Billboard Magazine and Radio Records' #1 R&B Song in 2005.

Intimacy: Album III, which debuted at #2 Soundscan in August 2010, went on to garner national critical and commercial acclaim, including two Grammy Award nominations, a Soul Train award nomination, and a BET Centric Award nomination.Kemistry, Album II, and Intimacy: Album III have each been certified RIAA gold, and worldwide sales are in excess of 2.4 million copies.



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