ICYMI, Jason Kelce and two of his former Eagles teammates, Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, have released Christmas albums for the last two years under the name The Philly Specials. This year, they’re releasing their third studio album titled A Philly Special Christmas Party. It will be out on November 22. The profits they raise from album sales go to local Philadelphia charities. This year, Jason upped the ante by bringing in none other than Stevie Nicks. Yes, you read me correctly. Jason Kelce teamed up with her majesty Stevie Nicks for a Christmas duet, releasing a new cover of Ron Sexsmith’s song, “Maybe This Christmas.”
Since 2022, Kelce has been releasing annual Christmas albums with Eagles stars Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, the trio collectively forming The Philly Specials. This year’s album will drop on Nov. 22 and is titled “A Philly Special Christmas Party,” following last year’s “A Philly Special Christmas Special” and 2022’s “A Philly Special Christmas.” All profits from the album will benefit local Philadelphia charities.
In “Maybe This Christmas,” which hit streaming services on Friday, Kelce and Nicks go back and forth singing about their hopes that this holiday season will be filled with love and forgiveness.
“Maybe this Christmas will mean something more / Maybe this year love will appear deeper than ever before,” Kelce sings.
“And maybe forgiveness will ask us to call / Someone we love, someone we’ve lost / for reasons we can’t quite recall,” Nicks sings.
“Maybe they’ll be an open door / Maybe the star that shone before will shine once more,” they both sing together.
Kelce revealed he would be collaborating with Nicks last month in a post on the Instagram page for “New Heights,” the podcast he hosts with brother Travis Kelce.
“The crossover we didn’t know we needed,” said the caption of a post which showed the NFL star and the Fleetwood Mac singer together. “Coming soon to a Christmas album near you.”
In an episode of “New Heights” last month, Kelce said it was “pretty crazy” to get to sing with Nicks, a “legend,” and noted they recorded in the studio together. “Absolutely unreal,” he said. “Probably the most legendary female singer, especially of her generation.”
He added that Nicks is “one of the nicest people I’ve ever talked to” and that he will cherish the memory of working with her “for the rest of my lifetime.”
I honestly didn’t know that The Philly Specials was a thing but I sure did just go down an Apple Music rabbit hole. Each album cover honors A Charlie Brown Christmas, which I love. And honestly, if you approach them with a “Oh, these are people having fun for charity” mindset, it’s not that bad? Last year, Patti LaBelle appeared on a track, and this year, in addition to Stevie, Boyz II Men and Travis Kelce guest on another track.
Okay, so, as for “Maybe This Christmas…” Holy moly, they couldn’t do Jason the favor of a little autotune? That said, it really is a pretty cute song. They’re not going to win any Grammys for best performance, but their harmony when they sing together isn’t that bad, right? It’s a short and sweet song and no one tries to be the next Mariah, so there’s that. They should sing it live to raise more money. Oh, and if I sound like I’m judging, I will fully admit that if someone came up to me and said, “Hey do you want to do a duet with Stevie Nicks?” I would absolutely, with zero hesitation, say, “Hell f-cking yes I do!” Jason just crossed an item off MY bucket list with this one.
photos via Instagram/Jason Kelce and Stevie Nicks
For a guy who I never heard of 18 months ago, Jason Kelce sure is becoming a hero of mine. What a sweet and unique way to raise money for charity. And yeah, if I had the chance to sing with Stevie Nicks I would, even though my singing voice is ahem well we’ll call it “untrained.” But I would apologize profusely to Queen Stevie for having to sing with me.
Yes. They’re (the Kelces) feeling a little over exposed to me right now.
I’m loving this – and I agree that their harmonies are quite good
It’s a bop!
I’ve heard a few clips of it and I think its super cute. One of Stevie’s big singing strengths is her ability to harmonize (yes, most famously with Lindsey Buckingham, but she’s just really good at in general.) It means she’s not always trying to be the loudest in any duet and can almost wrap her voice around her partner’s. So in the clips I’ve heard I think that really comes out here.
She’s also participated in a Christmas charity album before – A Very Special Christmas – I think for the Special Olympics – and I’ve seen clips of her in a christmas pageant lol (I think she was one of the angels, lol, and yes this was “recent” – I have no sense of time anymore but it was Stevie as an adult.) She has said she’s not super religious but she is very spiritual so this fits for her.
What’s also cool is that, with the exception of Stevie Nicks, all thr guest musicians (Patti LaBelle, Boyz II Men) are all local Philly legends. So it’s all local singers too!
JORDAN MAILATA HAS THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL!
These albums are all very sweet and very well-done! If you go on New Heights’ IG, the clips of Jason Kelce, a very large man, being completely starstruck by a very petite woman, the legendary Stevie Nicks, is very, very endearing and wholesome.
My kid has been treated at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia their whole life, and is on the spectrum. The fact that he does this album for CHOP and raises so much money for autism means Jason Kelce (and Kylie Kelce!) can do no wrong in my book.
What a worthwhile and meaningful project. This is the spirit of Christmas.
Jason has a very good voice! I had no idea he could sing, well.