Today (10/18), Columbia Records/Sony Music Nashville artist-songwriter Alana Springsteen packs a punch with two new songs that introduce her boldest chapter yet: the reflective yet fierce “cowboy” and stadium-sized anthem “hold my beer.” Spotlighting her fearlessly detailed storytelling and empowered point-of-view, the double-song release marks the much-anticipated follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2023 debut album, TWENTY SOMETHING. Listen here.
“'cowboy / hold my beer' had to drop together. To put it in the simplest terms, ‘cowboy’ is my past and ‘hold my beer’ is my future. If there’s anything I learned from the process of writing and releasing my debut album, TWENTY SOMETHING, it’s that we’re never really done ‘figuring it out.’ With that in mind, I can’t promise I won’t find myself in relationships that don’t end up working out again. But I can promise I’ll be a lot more secure in and out of them,” shares Springsteen. “The guy that ‘cowboy’ is about hurt me in ways that I’m still coming to terms with. I still find myself wondering how I couldn’t see what was right in front of me. That self-doubt finds its way into every part of your psyche, and it manifests in the ways that you interact with the world around you. I’m working on healing from that. Part of the process has been finding my confidence and strength again. That’s what ‘hold my beer’ signifies. It’s for everyone out there who’s ever been underestimated or doubted. It was important to me that I start this next chapter of my story with these two songs.”
Arriving on her 24th birthday, “cowboy / hold my beer” finds Springsteen pushing forward with the hands-on approach she brought to every aspect of TWENTY SOMETHING – a three-part powerhouse whose title track landed on NPR Music’s “The Best Songs of 2023” list, with The Tennessean naming her Chris Stapleton collaboration “ghost in my guitar” among the “25 Nashville Songs That Tell the Story of 2023.” To that end, she co-wrote, co-produced, and played guitar on both new songs, in addition to collaborating with heavy-hitters like Amy Allen (a GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter whose latest credits include mega-hits like Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso”).
Firing up the next era of her artistry, “cowboy / hold my beer” each illuminate different facets of Springsteen’s inner world and in-depth perspective on life and love. On “cowboy,” she looks back on her relationship experience to date and examines tough-to-break patterns like falling for someone who’s all wrong. Written by Springsteen, Ido Zmishlany, Delacey, and Amy Allen, and produced by Zmishlany (Tate McRae, Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber) and Springsteen, the hard-hitting but tender track puts a fresh spin on a timeless tale of hope and heartbreak, revealing Springsteen’s supreme lyrical talent as she merges personal confession with classic cowboy iconography (“I put his face up on a wanted sign / These days they're lookin different but commit the same crimes”). With its pounding drums and smoldering guitar riffs, “cowboy” builds to a heart-stopping peak in the song’s stripped-back final moments, beautifully showcasing the irresistible force of Springsteen’s singular vocals. Watch the Chase Denton-directed “cowboy” visualizer here.
Meanwhile, on “hold my beer,” Springsteen flips the script and offers up a wildly fun takedown of anyone who might dare to underestimate her. Written by Springsteen, Ido Zmishlany, Delacey, and Sarah Solovay, and produced by Zmishlany and Springsteen, the unapologetic banger opens with Springsteen confidently delivering her lyrics in a hypnotic form of talk-singing (“And you’re jokin with your boys and I see it on your face / You think I look too sweet to be a threat / And there might’ve been a time when that woulda made me cry / But now I’m like alright bet”). In a brilliant counterpart to “cowboy,” “hold my beer” takes full ownership of her actions and embodies an unstoppable power at the gloriously soaring, gang-vocal-fueled chorus. Together, the two songs represent the fascinating dichotomy of her emotional life, honoring her strength and vulnerability in equal measure. Watch the Chase Denton-directed “hold my beer” visualizer here.
With “cowboy / hold my beer,” Springsteen brings an even greater level of self-assurance to themes explored on TWENTY SOMETHING, an album comprised of three fully realized installments: Messing It Up, Figuring It Out, and Getting It Right. Since the release of her landmark full-length debut (and its widely lauded DELUXE edition), she’s earned praise from the likes of PEOPLE (“Everything about her says she was made for this wild, breathless — and, yes, high-risk — life of an artist”), American Songwriter (“Springsteen’s music has struck a chord with listeners from every corner of the globe, giving a pathway to those seeking connection, solace, and understanding”), Billboard (“Springsteen possesses a classic female voice packed with angst and determination”), and many more.
In addition to headlining stops among supporting a run with Tyler Hubbard, Springsteen makes her much-anticipated return to Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry stage tonight (10/18) after appearing for the first-time on her 22nd birthday in 2022. Buzzed-about from her spot on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series, and recently joining forces with GRAMMY® Award-winning, multi-platinum superstar DJ/producer Tiësto for their sizzling summer collaboration “Hot Honey,” she continues to make headlines. Promising more new music on the way, she’s also teamed up with Us Weekly to document her journey to this year’s CMA Awards – check out that exclusive content here and here.
