Christmas came early, Gleeks!

Celebuzz has an exclusive first listen of Alex Newell’s cover of “Joy To The World,” as featured on Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Vol. 3, available on Tuesday, Dec. 11 and next week’s new episode.

On FOX’s Glee, Newell stars as New Directions’ resident diva — and “Mercedes’ clone” — Unique, a fierce female-identified McKinley student with a big voice (and an even bigger personality). So, is Unique’s take on the holiday classic as diva-licious as she is? Take a listen above to find out!

Below is the complete track list from the Glee Christmas album:

1. “Jingle Bell Rock”
2. “White Christmas”
3. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
4. “Silent Night”
5. “Joy To The World”
6. “The First Noel”
7. “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
8. “Feliz Navidad”
9. “Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah”
10. “Happy Xmas”

Next week, Glee pays tribute to the Christmas classic Love, Actually with an all-new holiday episode, conveniently titled “Glee, Actually.”

Glee airs Thursdays at 9 PM on FOX.

Alex Newell may not have officially won the first season of The Glee Project, but since his guest appearance on FOX’s Glee has turned into a recurring role for this fourth season, he has been crowned the real winner in his own way.

“I’ve learned how to be consistent, because I’m usually a Broadway actor. I do stage eight shows a week and have to make it different every night to work with the crowd. But this is, I’m doing it over and over again. And then to have the rest and the conservation of being able to know when it’s enough and when it’s not enough so you don’t burn yourself out,” Newell shared with Celebuzz at FX’s American Horror Story: Asylum premiere in Hollywood, Calif. on Saturday.

“I’ve learned my body and myself as a person and a performer,” he added.

What can we expect from Newell’s Unique in Glee?

Newell’s Unique is one of the newer New Directions kids, but there has really been no period of adjustment. Unique’s talent —and big personality— fits right in. And soon, Newell previewed, you will see just how much Unique has in common with at least one other member of the glee club.

“You’re going to see the friendship between Marley and Unique, and I’m going to call them Marique. We’re friends in real life, and we’re friends on the show now, and it’s really fun because you see how we just feed off each other for the moral support,” Newell said.

“I think that’s kind of really nice. I love it. I have like an actual best, best friend, and I love it,” he added.

What Unique doesn’t have yet, though, is a boyfriend, and Newell was adamant about wanting one — anyone — “a breathing one.”

“I hope we that we both get boyfriends. I can’t reiterate that [enough]!” Newell laughed, speaking for himself and his character.

And maybe there will be a chance to. With the upcoming musical, Grease, about to be underway, Newell teased a few “big songs” for Unique but played coy with specifics. Unique has showed major star power on past numbers, though, and that kind of stage presence and commanding of attention is bound to turn a few heads and catch a few eyes.

“I want to say “Starships” was real — realreal — because it was a two shoot day and that split lift, up, back down, and having to do it over again, it was a little grueling!” Newell said when asked of most challenging performances so far.

“Two days of that. And “Boogie Shoes” because my boogie shoes didn’t want to stay on my boogie feet so they kept boogie breaking! They had two pairs on standby just in case they decided ‘Hey I’m going to break now.’ I feel like those were my toughest.”

For more on Newell’s experiences on Glee, be sure to check out our full video interview, above.

What song do you hope to hear Newell sing? And who would you cast as Unique’s boyfriend? Let us know your picks in the comments below!

– Danielle Turchiano

Watch all of our interviews from the American Horror Story: Asylum premiere below.

Oxygen’s Glee Project winner Blake Jenner has only been on FOX’s Glee set for two days, but he already feels like he’s part of the McKinley family.

“I was really nervous my first day on set, kind of like the new kid at school,” Jenner, 20, told Celebuzz at Variety’s 6th Annual Power of Youth event. “I felt like a sixth grader walking through the halls, but everybody is just so nice. I just couldn’t feel anymore comfortable.”

Even Glee veterans Darren Criss and Lea Michele have been supportive of the newbie. “When I run into them, they’re like, ‘Oh, are you having fun?’ It’s just awesome. It’s like we’re all friends and we’re just trying to have fun doing what we love.”

In fact, Jenner’s biggest on set struggle might surprise you.

“I was looking for craft services during lunch,” he said. “And I think I did 10 laps around Paramount before someone was like, ‘Hey Blake, the sandwiches are in here!’”

Jenner will make his Glee debut on the fifth episode of the season, titled, “The Role You Were Born To Play.” In the episode, McKinley’s new student Ryder (Jenner) will get some guidance from Finn (Cory Monteith) on how to join the glee club. Rumor has it that Ryder might even try out for McKinley’s fall musical — Grease.

Series co-creator Ryan Murphy tweeted that Jenner’s role on the show will “inspire many many people.”

Glee airs Thursdays at 9 PM on FOX.

Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) is not a girl, not yet a woman in these newly released stills from Glee’s first tribute episode of Season 4, “Britney 2.0.”

On the episode, as the pressures of NYADA start to mount for Rachel, she turns to her newfound school friend, Brody Weston (Dean Geyer), for help. Meanwhile back at McKinley, Brittany (Heather Morris) is depressed without her girlfriend Santana (Naya Rivera), so she calls on her icon Britney Spears for some much needed inspiration.

While the official track-listing for the episode has yet to be released, judging from these episode stills, everyone gets in on the Britney action.

What else can Gleeks look forward to this season?

Despite Rachel and Brody’s racy number, for the first episodes Rachel will still be head-over-heals for her high school sweetheart Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith).

“She is all about Finn. That’s where her head is at,” Michele told E! Online on the New York City set. “And this guy Brody just kind of keeps sort of popping up a little bit. He’s interested, so we’ll see where it goes.”

Meanwhile, Finn’s future is being kept under wraps until the Season 4 premiere on Sept. 13. At the end of Season 3 it looked like Finn was ready to join the Army — and according to E! Online, he did indeed spend some time in camouflage. He even has the buzz cut to prove it.

However, it looks like Finn’s Army days were short-lived. ”I can say that Cory is fully on the show this year,” Michele told E! Online. “And what he will be doing this year is very exciting. His storyline is so cool and so different. You couldn’t even ever guess.”

With her relationship with Finn uncertain, at least Rachel will have her BFF to count on. That’s right, Gleeks. Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) is moving to the Big Apple.

As we previously reported, when the fourth season of Glee kicks off, a very “bored and aimless” Kurt will leave Lima, Ohio to follow his dreams to New York City. There, he’ll intern for Vogue.com and work under editor Isabelle Klempt (Sarah Jessica Parker). And for all of you HummelBerry fans, he’ll be shacking up with Rachel in a spacious Brooklyn loft.

Are you excited for the Season 4 premiere of Glee? Sound off in the comments!