Mary J. Blige’s ‘A Mary Christmas’ album cover

Mary J. Blige’s announcement of her first Holiday-themed album wasn’t just a joke made to see if people still cared about her music. In fact, proving that A Mary Christmas is really on its way, the former voice of the streets has unveiled its cover and hinted at a mid-October release date.

A Mary Christmas will be issued via Matriarch Records/Verve Records/Interscope Records. The set is the first major collaboration between Blige and the legendary David Foster, and it will include appearances by Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and even Barbra Streisand on the classic song “When You Wish Upon a Star”.

Meanwhile, Blige is also busy writing material for her next mainstream studio album. “I’ve already come up with the title and started writing songs,” she explained. “For me, I have to be living what I’m saying. I have to be around what I’m writing about. Sometimes if a word comes to mind, you have to type it down into your Blackberry or on a piece of paper so you don’t forget it, but that’s the only thing that happens on the fly.”

To get a glimpse of Blige enjoying the spirit of the Holiday season, watch her and Andrea Bocelli sing “What Child This Is” below:

What do you think of the cover?