R&B Icon Linda “Peaches” Tavani Weighs in on Her Solo Career and the Visuals for ‘My Grown Up Christmas List’
Holiday wishes don’t stop when childhood ends. Maybe adults aren’t quite as eager to unwrap a gleaming present as children are, but they’ve got powerful desires, too. Take Linda “Peaches” Tavani, for instance. The beloved R&B singer has seen her own dreams come true: she’s topped charts, snagged Grammy nominations, and stolen the hearts of countless listeners. As half of the acclaimed duo Peaches and Herb, she’s had all of the worldly success any singer could ever hope to attain. She’s done making Christmas lists for herself. Now, she’s making a Christmas list for you.
“My Grown Up Christmas List,” her new holiday single, is a powerful plea for help for an ailing world. Healing, unity, human understanding, an end to conflict and suffering, and the speedy arrival of a time of peace: these are the gifts the singer is searching for. She’s not alone. In a time as challenging as December 2021, material impulses can seem trivial. It’s fair to say that millions of people, old and young, are praying for a Christmas miracle. Linda “Peaches” Tavani has given those hopes a voice.
And what a voice it is. Peaches’ singing is rich, sonorous, effortlessly empathetic, profoundly communicative, and capable of communicating excitement and longing in the same measure. This is the woman who gave us “Reunited,” an immortal anthem of reconciliation, the party-starter “Shake Your Groove Thang,” and presided – in spirit, at least – over countless marriages with the adamantine “I Pledge My Love.” On her own, she’s turned her attention to devotional songs and made manifest the gospel roots of all of the music she’s ever recorded. “My Grown Up Christmas List” sounds like a standard for the ages, but the singer’s performance anchors it firmly to the spiritual tradition. That’s fitting for a Christmas song that doubles as an entreaty for divine assistance.
The video for “My Grown Up Christmas List” shows both sides of Linda “Peaches” Tavani: the charismatic star and the spiritual searcher. The singer appears under the stage lights, dressed in glamorous gowns, signing autographs, and spreading cheer to her fans around the globe. Yet we also see Peaches hard at work in the studio, squeezing out every drop of soul from her melody. This is the Linda “Peaches” Tavani who wears sweatshirts with inspirational messages and who wears the pain – and the hope – of her listeners on her endlessly expressive face. If you’ve ever wondered why her music connects as profoundly as it does, the reason is present in every frame.
We got “Peaches” to weigh in on a few things!
At what point did you want to explore your solo sound? What has that experience been like? What did you discover about yourself?
I always wanted to be a solo artist and for 5 years I fronted a great cover band in Virginia Beach. I also always loved harmony so when I was asked by Herb to be Peaches in the duo “Peaches and Herb” I accepted. It was a great experience recording #1 Hits like Reunited and Shake Your Groove thing, selling 9 million records, and touring the world for 10 years. But I still had a desire to be a solo artist so I moved on from the group and went to Los Angeles to start my solo career. Finding the right team is very important and I did. I love the experience because I sing the songs I want to, wear what I want to, and shape the brand that is me. I discovered in spite of many challenges I was determined to live my dream. I am grateful that it is happening!
How did COVID-19 shape you as an artist?
Because of all the downtime, I was able to record lots of music. The difficult times that the world was going through influenced me to be very hopeful and encouraging with my music and performances.
What is the inspiration behind writing a Christmas track?
I didn’t write my Christmas single “My Grownup Christmas List”, David Foster wrote the beautiful song.
What is “My Grown Up Christmas List” about? What meaning does this song hold for you?
The lyrics are about making the world a better place and improving the lives of individual people. This song is very meaningful to me because when I first heard Amy Grant sing it I was very blessed, encouraged, and hopeful. I recorded it because that is what I want for the world. The lyrics to the song are my prayers.
What was it like shooting the music video for this track? What does Christmastime mean for you?
Actually, the video was made up of many different video clips and photos of past family Christmas. Christmastime means to me joy, family, memories, and beauty but most of all it means celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world…Jesus.
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About the Author
Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
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