Christmas music doesn’t generally get Alyssa Micaela in the holiday spirit, but this year something shifted. As the holidays were quickly approaching, Micaela started reflecting on her deeper Texan roots, old traditions—tamales on Christmas Eve—then found herself with a “Cowboy for Christmas.”
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Co-written with Liz Rose (Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood) and Emily Shackelton (Reba McEntire, Sara Evans, David Cook), “Cowboy for Christmas” was initially written on a whim when Micaela’s publishers suggested she write a holiday song.
“Normally, I’m a total grinch about Christmas music, but we ended up writing one of my favorite songs, and I have been holly jolly molly tamale ever since the day we wrote it,” says Micaela. “I really do want a cowboy for Christmas, so I’m hoping to maybe manifest a Christmas miracle. It’s 2020. Anything can happen.”
Once “Cowboy for Christmas” was written, Michaela passed it on to fellow Lone Star State native and friend Alex Torrez.
“We’re both Texans with Mexican roots—a fiery combo—and he totally understood what we were going for just by listening to the work tape,” says Micaela. “He pulled in David Dorn to co-produce the song with him at Farmland Studios and we had the best time creating the Tex-Mex Christmas song of my dreams.”
In all of Micaela’s more introspective narratives and reminisces, which she poured into her other cowboy ballad, 2017’s “Cowboys Like That,” an ode to her grandfather, “Cowboy for Christmas” captures the holiday spirit in its slower crooned country-mariachi march, finding Micaela longing for a rugged one in her plea of make sure he can two-step and make sure he loves Willie.
Currently working on a new EP, Micaela recently released the single “Tie Dye” before detouring into the holidays. Reflecting on the pandemic and everything happening within the country, this year more than any other is the right time for more festive music, nostalgia for holiday traditions, and a touch of levity in longing for a “Cowboy for Christmas.”
“Everyone has their own family traditions, and I’m excited to get to share a few little pieces of mine through the lyrics,” she says. “Growing up in Texas, we always went to church on Christmas Eve, and then went back home to eat tamales. Even if you’re not paying attention to any of the lyrics, there’s no way you can listen to this song without wanting to dance around the house.”
Micaela adds, ”I hope this song brings people happiness and makes them want to eat, drink and be merry with friends and family. That’s what the holidays are all about.”
