Jennifer Hudson Claims Her Holiday Title: ‘Mariah Carey Is the Queen of Christmas, and I’m the Princess’ (Exclusive)

Jennifer Hudson is claiming her royal holiday title!

After taking the stage at 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to perform with the legendary Dionne Warwick on Oct. 19, Hudson opened up about feeling as though her love of Christmas earns her a special festive title.

However, the American Idol alum would never dream of coming for her Christmas-loving friend Mariah Carey’s crown. “I think Mariah is the Queen of Christmas, and I’m the Princess of Christmas,” Hudson tells PEOPLE. “At least, I named myself.”

The title is apt considering the EGOT winner released her first-ever holiday album, The Gift of Love, on Oct. 18. The album features a selection of festive favorites including “The Christmas Song,” “O Holy Night,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Little Drummer Boy,” as well as original songs like “Almost Christmas,” featuring her boyfriend Common.

Hudson considers each song on the album to be a gift to her listeners.

“I look at it as a Christmas tree full of different songs,” she says of The Gift of Love. “And whatever song you love on there is your Christmas gift from me to you. So I hope you guys pick it up and choose your song. I can’t wait to figure out which gift you got.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

As for her own favorite holiday song, the self-proclaimed Princess of Christmas says her pick always changes.

“I love each and every one of them. I feel like they all represent a piece of me. So, ‘O Holy Night’ is my favorite holiday song,” she says, before adding that “Hallelujah” is the “reason why I made the entire holiday album.”

While The Gift of Love is Hudson’s first holiday album, it’s far from her first foray into the realm of Christmas music. In 2020, she teamed up with Carey, 55, and Ariana Grande for a new rendition of the Queen of Christmas’ “Oh Santa!” for Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special on AppleTV+.

Last December, Hudson and Grande, 31, joined Carey onstage to perform the remix live for the first at the “All I Want for Christmas” singer’s Merry Christmas One and All! Tour stop at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

During an episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show, the chat show host said the whole experience “felt like Christmas.” She added, “It turned into a reunion or something. It felt like being with family.”