Cher has admitted that she had "no intention" of releasing a Christmas album.
During a new interview with Billboard, the 77-year-old music icon explained how her upcoming holiday album, titled Christmas, came about.
"I had no intention of doing a Christmas album," she told the outlet. "But (Warner Records) said, 'Why don't you do a Christmas album, Cher?' and I said if I can do my version I'll do it, and they were very pleasant."
The performer noted that when creating the album, she opted to avoid the standard holiday songs.
"Everybody's gotten Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Jingle Bell and all that," she stated. "I just said to them, 'There will be Christmas songs and they'll be appropriate, but I want to do what I feel.'"
The new studio album will feature 13 songs, including four originals. She will also be joined by artists including Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Darlene Love, Michael Bublé and Tyga.
Warner Records co-chairman and COO Tom Corson also heaped praise on the "incredible" festive record.
"She's made not just a Christmas album, but an incredible Christmas album that will rival and sit alongside the great Christmas albums of all time," he proclaimed.
Cher dropped the album's first single, titled DJ Play A Christmas Song, on Friday. Christmas is set to be released on 20 October.
In addition to the holiday album, Cher will release a deluxe edition of her 1998 album Believe to celebrate its 25th anniversary on 3 November.
