Grammy- and Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter Joss Stone has achieved many groundbreaking milestones throughout her career. The multiplatinum star became the youngest female solo artist to top the U.K. Albums Chart and is one of the bestselling British artists of her time, collaborating with hit names like Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger and Damien Marley.
Now, Stone is heading to the Windy City’s Auditorium Theatre for a highly anticipated holiday concert with the Chicago Philharmonic, featuring beloved anthems from her festive discography, Merry Christmas, Love. Tickets for Stone’s Dec. 18 concert are available for purchase here.
We caught up with Stone about her upcoming performance, her advice for aspiring artists and how she harnesses the power of artistic expression.
What can fans expect at your upcoming holiday concert at The Auditorium?
If they have the album “Merry Christmas, Love,” then they can expect to hear the entire album with a beautiful orchestra behind us, which is super Christmasy and gets you in the festive spirit. We're also going to play some of the hits that we sing and have a little party, but the whole point of the show is to just bring the classic Christmas vibes. That’s why I made the album, and that's why I do the show. It’s just such a lovely, lovely time of year to do that.
What inspired you to choose Chicago as one of the two locations for your holiday concert?
Chicago’s a great place to have Christmas vibes in. It’s always really cold and very sparkly, which is really great. I always feel like it’s a super festive place. I’ve been there a few times at that time of year, and it just has that magic energy, so that’s a good reason.
Looking back at your featured holiday album Merry Christmas, Love, what memories or feelings stand out most from that time?
The fact that I was pregnant with my second child, Shack. That was very special because I believe that Christmas is basically made magic by the children. I had my own magical times when I was a young child and then I spent many years as an adult having Christmas with my siblings that were adults, and there were no little ones around for a really big chunk of time. Christmas ended up just being like a party, and it wasn't Christmas anymore. It was, but it wasn't. It was missing that magic. As soon as the kids came along, it was magic again. When I was making the album with him inside my belly, I knew he was a boy and I was picking a name for him, and I was singing all these Christmas songs, I was thinking, wow, this is just truly magical. It's just a wonderful time of year and a very wholesome family holiday. So I think that for me, what made the album even more special was that Shack was there, or that I was currently making him.
You’ve spoken out about important humanitarian causes and social issues. How do you incorporate these passions into your artistic expression?
I do write songs and I think when you are writing, you write about what you're feeling at the time. So if I'm feeling particularly passionate about a world issue, then I'll write about that. Just as quick as I'll write about love, wanting it, or not having it. I think that writing songs is a really good way to get out your emotions and to connect with people. And then when people listen to those songs, they may agree or disagree with you, or they may find comfort in the lyrics that you are singing. It may bring people together. It's a lovely tool to do that.
What advice would you give aspiring artists just starting out in the music industry?
I would give them advice to write down why they're doing it and never forget that. Why? Because it's very easy to be sort of pulled in different directions, and you could end up doing some things that you maybe wouldn't have done if you had the “why” right in the front of your mind. But that original, most organic reason that you have, don't let it die, because that's the reason why you're passionate about it. That's what's going to bring you happiness. If you lose that, then you'll lose yourself.
What can we expect from you next?
There's all sorts going on next year. I’ll be making some music next year. Hopefully, I'll be making an album, and I will definitely be touring because that’s just my life. I would look out for more touring, I want to do a little bit in February. I'm also going to be doing some performances with Melissa Etheridge on our 2025 co-headlining tour, but that’s really the only thing I have booked for next year.
See also: Cindy Crawford Talks Chicago, OMEGA And Why She'll Always Be A Midwesterner
Photography by: Photography of Joss Stone by Tina Turnbow
