Grammy-nominated songwriter Tayla Parx is making spirits bright (and quite tasty) this Christmas with her signature “Tayla’s Tini” cocktail and the music video for “Ain’t a Lonely Christmas Song,” which were both revealed on Monday (Dec. 14).
Fresh off co-writing five out of 14 songs on Ariana Grande’s latest No. 1 album Positions, Parx is taking the reins of her own creativity. She shimmers under her own spotlight and keeps cozy in a long fur coat for the festive visual of her Christmas carol, which she spruced up with her go-to Christmas cocktail in partnership with Jack Daniel’s. The 27-year-old star shared the recipe for Tayla’s Tini, which can be found below.
“Jack Daniel’s [was] Frank Sinatra’s favorite drink,” Parx said in a Q&A session with reporters on Monday. “And now, I get to have my own Tayla-made Jack Daniel’s creation!”
She’s merrily following legendary artists’ footsteps and writing hits for current pop stars, from Grande’s first and second Hot 100 No. 1 hits “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings” to Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes” to Khalid and Normani’s “Love Lies.” But her “crazy ride” is partly soundtracked by fans reciting the lyrics to her own songs, especially those off her sophomore album, Coping Mechanisms, which she released on Nov. 20 via Atlantic.
“It’s been definitely a crazy ride, super, super exciting because we’ve all just kind of seen the industry from a lot of different perspectives regarding songwriters and artists,” Parx told Billboard during the session. “But when I get on that stage, it’s a different feeling when I’m standing in an audience and I’m hearing the crowd singing songs that I’ve written versus songs that I know came from my heart and they’re singing along with me. It’s definitely a fun journey.”
And just like how Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” still rings in her memory from singing it at home, she hopes “Ain’t a Lonely Christmas Song,” which was released in November on Atlantic Holiday’s Still Home For the Holidays (An R&B Christmas Album), does the same for other families during the most wonderful time of a difficult year.
“I wanted to be a part of bringing families and friends together. I wanted to be a part of making those memories,” the Coping Mechanisms artist said, who’s even getting her Ebenezer Scrooge-like dog in the Christmas spirit.
“Even my dog is just happier these days,” she teased. “We were trimming the tree, and usually he’s a grouchy old man. Even Apollo is just in a great, great mood. So I just think that right now, enjoy the ability to just be able to hang out with family and friends or Zoom family and friends.”
Watch the “Ain’t a Lonely Christmas Song” music video below.
