Darren Criss.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty
Do you hear jingle bells? That may beDarren Crissgoing back to his musical roots — but this time with a Christmas twist.
TheGleealum, 34, released his new holiday album,A Very Darren Crissmason Friday — and established his return to the music scene after earning acclaim for his performances inThe Assassination of Gianna Versace: American Crime StoryandHollywood.
In this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, Criss opens up about why he dedicated the album to his father Bill, whodied last yearafter battling a heart condition.
Darren Criss Album Cover Art.F. Scott Schafer for Decca Records
“He gave everybody around him the kind of joy the songs are about. Plus, the man could cook arealgood Christmas goose,” Criss says. “I mean, come on: Other than in Dickensian literature, have you ever come across anyone who actually knew how to prepare a proper Christmas goose? If that wasn’t worthy of a holiday album dedication, I don’t know what is.”
Criss says the new album was a check off his bucket list.
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“Actors have their hit list of dream projects: ‘Oh, I want to do a costume drama. Or a romantic comedy or a horror movie.’ A holiday album is part of the repertoire that [musical] artists do at some point or another,” Criss says.
When it comes to holiday traditions, Criss says that he andhis wifeMia enjoy baking together.
“Decorating Christmas cookies [is] a tradition Mia brought into my life from her own upbringing and something I’ve been really grateful for and have enjoyed the past several years,” the actor says. “We don’t even eat half of them. We just get into the designing part and making them look really great.”
Darren Criss with His Parents.Alex Berliner/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
As part of the celebrations pinned to the album and the holiday season, Criss will beheading on A Very Darren Crissmas tourfrom Dec. 3 through Dec. 22. Along with the tour, Criss is set to return to Broadway forAmerican Buffalo, with the show opening at the Circle in the Square Theatre on April 14, 2022.
Criss previously announced with PEOPLE he would be releasing the album filled with covers of holiday classics, new songs and collaborations with stars such asAdam Lambert.
He told PEOPLE at the time, “I always knew that if I ever made a Christmas album, it would have to be much more than just a collection of songs you already knew. I’d want it to be a journey through songs that not only had a personal significance to my life, but also a unique introduction to songs folks had never heard before, and a re-introduction to a few they might think they know — but have never considered differently.”
“Every eclectic choice led this album to feel astutely true to its namesake: a very, indisputably, ‘me’ Christmas,” Criss adds.
For more details on Darren Criss, pick up the latest issue ofPEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.
source: people.com
