Spicing Up the Season with Singer Elijah Connor

inger Elijah Connor is known for his sultry sounds. Even as he croons the woes of winter nights on the new This Christmas, he still manages to sizzle. The EP, which was released Nov. 12, is a smooth R&B spin on holiday standards such as "Noel,""Joy to the World"and "Silent Night,"with a few songs in his signature love-serenading style, such as "Don' t You Want a Man.”

On Dec. 7, Connor performs at the Music Hall with ' 90s musical acts 112, Jaheim, Dru Hill and Guy in what he calls the holiday concert of the year. Before the show, and just in time for the holidays, we spoke to the ladies' man about Christmas, women and how to enjoy them both in the D.

HE KNOWS SEXY.

"The epitome of sexy to me is confidence. For any woman, no matter what size you are, to be able to command the audience or command attention without even opening up your mouth or anything, that' s sexy to me. Knowing who you are, whether you' re a size 4, size 14 or size 24. Knowing who you are and being confident in who you are, that' s sexy.”

HE LOVES TO PERFORM.

"They' re calling this the holiday concert of the year. It' s going to definitely be a show. All the ladies, even couples come on out. I' m going to give some excerpts from my Christmas record as well as some good R&B stuff. I' m so humbled to be sharing the stage with these great legends. 112 and Dru Hill-these are people that I sung their songs in the talent show in middle school. I am just humbled to be sharing the stage with these great pioneers of music.”

HE CAN' T SHAKE BEING A SEX SYMBOL.

"I' m a bachelor. I did a holiday concert last year, and there was a young lady that threw one of her undergarments on stage. I tried to play it cool, but through it all the audience laughed. I had to keep singing, but it caught me off guard because it landed right on my mic, so that let me know right there that even though I' m singing a Christmas record, I' m still giving them that fantasy.”

WHICH MAKES DATING A CHALLENGE.

"We went out to dinner to Ruth' s Chris Steak House (in Troy), and there were two young ladies who were seated across from us and asked for a picture. I was like, ' Sure.' And (my date) felt like I was being disrespectful. And I was like ' How am I being disrespectful?' -and she said because we' re out to dinner. I said, ' Well, those are my fans. I can' t say no, because without them, there' s no me.' A lot of times, dating an entertainer, they don' t understand what comes with it.”

BUT HE LOVES TO BE SPONTANEOUS WITH WOMEN.

"I' m the type of person where I' m so spontaneous, where I would call up a woman and say, ' Hey, let' s go shopping,' because I like to pick out what I would like my woman to wear. We' d probably go to Somerset -the good side, of course. I think every woman loves to shop, so to me that would put a smile on any woman' s face. I may take her to the jewelry store and surprise her with a ring.”

AND HE LOVES DETROIT DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

"My favorite memory of Christmas time in Detroit would probably be right after I filmed Sparkle in 2011. The parade, things going on and the lighting of the Christmas tree-that just brings to me the aroma in the air of Detroit. I think our downtown, I would put that up against anybody' s major city, from New York to Chicago, especially during Christmas time.”