Pistol Annies had to convince Miranda Lambert to make a Christmas album and it was Sia that helped bring the project to life.
When Lambert's Pistol Annies bandmates Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley wanted to venture into holiday territory, they dropped hints and eventually played Sia's Christmas album, Everyday is Christmas, for the country veteran. "It was like, 'Oh, fresh and originals,'" Lambert told PEOPLE. "That got me loving Christmas music again because it was fresh. It opened my heart."
When the group took to the Smoky Mountains for a songwriting trip in May 2020, Lambert leaned into the idea and suggested the title: Hell of a Holiday. The 13-track project, which dropped in October, was written mostly by the trio. They are to credit for 10 out of the 13 tracks, which includes inspiration from their home states, as well as some holiday festivity.
"We took into account how serious it is to come into everyone's home and everyone's life and everyone's memories every year," Monroe explained to the celebrity news outlet. "We respected that we would hopefully make memories with our fans and their families every year because Christmas music is so powerful when it hits you."
As for Lambert's take on the project, the singer said that Pistol Annies "weren't going to force it." "We never force it. But we got in the spirit big time," she said of the collection.