12 Days of Christmas with Deborah Cox- Memory of a Queen for Christmas

The holidays are upon us and BroadwayWorld is continuing our favorite annual tradition of celebrating the holiday season with a 12 Days of Christmas countdown. This year we couldn't be more excited to welcome the one and only Deborah Cox- currently starring in the Broadway-bound revival of The Wiz- to share some of her most cherished holiday songs and performances.

On the first day of Christmas, Deborah writes: "I wanted to start my 12 Days of Christmas for BroadwayWorld by keeping it real. Growing up in Toronto, we didn’t have a lot of money and could be described as poor, but what we did have in our house was music. Most years, I would get one gift from the Salvation Army, so, not having lots of gifts to exchange, we played music and this song, performed by my special girl, Whitney Houston, always makes me immediately want to sing along. I could never have imagined our paths would cross in this lifetime and I don’t think I’ve ever heard a better version of the song. And to make it even more meaningful, I’ve chosen this video that was assembled by a fan of Ms. Houston. That’s about as good as gets. Blessings."

Check back every day through December 25 to find out what else makes Deborah's list!

Deborah Cox is an award-winning recording artist, Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, and international talent spanning the worlds of music, Broadway, television, film, and fashion. An established songstress, Cox has scaled the R&B and Pop charts with six top 20 Billboard R&B singles and an impressive thirteen No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play Chart. Her sophomore album spawned 2 No. 1 R&B songs including the record-breaking “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” that spent 14 weeks at the top (the longest in history at the time) and “We Can’t Be Friends.”

In addition to her illustrious musical catalog, the Canadian-born star has been recognized for her undying commitment to various social justice initiatives. In 2020, Deborah was honored with Black Music Honors’ Entertainer Icon Award in recognition of her 25 ground-breaking years in the music industry.

A seasoned entertainer, both on-screen and off, Deborah is winning rave reviews for her roles on Netflix/BET’s First Wives Club and Emmy- nominated HBO MAX series, Station Eleven. In May 2022, Deborah reached a pinnacle career milestone when she made history as the first Black woman inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. In the same year, Deborah was given the Key to the City and had September 23rd declared as Deborah Cox Day. She also received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, rounding off an incredible year.

In 2023 Deborah launched her new wine, Kazaisu to honor her connection with fans and friends alike, a rosé wine that she hopes will sit on tables at family gatherings, dinners with friends, reunions, and celebrations of everyday life. The name itself betokens family, friendship, and love. KAZAISU combines the names of her three children: Kaila, Isaiah, and Sumayah. 

Always one to pay-it-forward, Deborah partnered with social-changemakers, Revolutionnaire to launch the “Beautiful U R” Service Days to support women experiencing housing insecurity by preparing care packages of essential and feel-good items to distribute. The initiative has been a huge success positively impacting the lives of women across North America. For more information on Deborah visit www.deborahcox.com

Photo Credit: Erick Robinson/Mike Ruiz