"Love Is a Cowboy" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American singer and songwriter Kelsea Ballerini. It was released through Black River Entertainment on July 15, 2022, as the first promotional single from Ballerini's fourth studio album, Subject to Change. She co-wrote the song with Jesse Frasure—who produced the track with Julian Bunetta and Shane McAnally—and Parker Welling.
A sentimental country ballad, "Love Is a Cowboy" uses the cowboy as a metaphor for the unpredictability of romantic love and features a traditional country-inspired arrangement built around acoustic instrumentation. It was accompanied by a music video depicting Ballerini performing in a wheat field at sunset.
Composition Ballerini wrote "Love Is a Cowboy" with Jesse Frasure and Parker Welling, while Frasure, Julian Bunetta, and Shane McAnally produced the track. Ballerini provided both lead and background vocals. Instrumentation was contributed by Sol Philcox-Littlefield and Todd Lombardo (acoustic guitar), Craig Young (bass guitar), Evan Hutchings (drums and programming), Frasure (electric guitar and programming), Jenny Fleenor (fiddle), and Alex Wright (piano). Drew Bollman served as tracking engineer, with additional engineering by Frasure and Bunetta, assistance from Jeff Gunnell and Kam Luchterhand, digital editing by Gunnell and Bunetta, mixing by Joe Zook and Ross Newbauer, second engineering by Newbauer, mastering assistance by Harrison Tate, and production coordination by Alyson McAnally.
"Love Is a Cowboy" is a country-tuned sentimental ballad that uses the cowboy as a metaphor for the unpredictability of romantic love, exploring the idea of embracing love despite the loss of control that accompanies it. The track is built around acoustic guitar, piano, steel guitar, and fiddle. Jeremy Chua of Taste of Country believed that a restrained arrangement built around those instumentals, such as steel guitar and fiddle, emphasized "the overall organic sound".
Release and promotion Following the announcement of her fourth studio album, Subject to Change, Ballerini revealed "Love Is a Cowboy" as its second preview through her social media on July 14, 2022. The song was released the following day to digital and streaming through Black River Entertainment, ahead of the album's release on September 23, after Ballerini had spent several weeks teasing the project online. The accompanying music video unveiled on the same day features Ballerini performing in a wheat field at sunset as she sings about the emotional highs and lows of love.
Personnel Credits were adapted from Tidal.
Kelsea Ballerinilead vocals, background vocals, songwriter Jesse Frasureproducer, electric guitar, programmer, additional engineer, songwriter Julian Bunettaproducer, additional engineer, digital editing engineer Shane McAnallyproducer Parker Wellingsongwriter Sol Philcox-Littlefieldacoustic guitar Todd Lombardoacoustic guitar Craig Youngbass guitar Evan Hutchingsdrum kit, programmer Jenny Fleenorfiddle Alex Wrightpiano Joe Zookmixing engineer Ross Newbauermixing, second engineer Drew Bollmantracking engineer Jeff Gunnellassistant engineer, digital editing engineer Kam Luchterhandassistant engineer Harrison Tatemastering second engineer Alyson McAnallyproduction coordinator
Release history + Release dates and formats Region Date Format(s) Label Various July 15, 2022 Black River
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