Love Sick

“It was quite earth-shattering,” Marina Diamandis tells Apple Music. “The feeling of not knowing what you want to do with your life is terrifying. And I’d never had that before because I had the luxury of being very focused for 10 years.” The singer-songwriter is describing the career knife-edge she found herself on following 2015’s Froot. Fortunately, an extended hiatus allowed a musical recharge, and with her streamlined stage name and double album, we’re all witnesses to a glorious pop return. “I’m at peace with myself,” she says. “I feel less nervous than I’ve ever felt. And besides, when you’re uncertain, you don’t have anything to lose.” Here, she takes us through both sides of her opus: the radiant pop of LOVE and the darker, more introspective FEAR.

For Tony Award-winning performer Idina Menzel, the holidays haven’t always come without complexities. “My parents announced that they were separating on Thanksgiving morning,” she tells Apple Music. When Menzel gave birth to her son and got remarried, these moments granted her the opportunity to rewrite her version of the holidays. Billy Porter, Josh Gad, Ariana Grande, and husband Aaron Lohr help her usher in the season with a medley of rejuvenated favorites and spirited originals. “I wanted it to feel like you could be at a great holiday party back in the ’40s or ’50s,” Menzel says. “I also want you to be able to decorate your tree, put on the music, and feel excited for the holidays.” Here, Menzel talks through some of Christmas: A Season of Love’s most festive moments.