A Boy Band Christmas Part III
A Boy Band Christmas Part III
My final interview of a three-part series of “A Boy Band Christmas” concludes with platinum selling artist Ryan Cabrera. Starting out as a lead singer for the band Rubix Groove, based out of Dallas, Cabrera soon found success as a solo singer/songwriter and guitar player.
With hits like “"On the Way Down", "I Will Remember You”, "True", “House On Fire” and his current single “Worth It” that he wrote during the pandemic, Cabrera is excited to be out there seeing his fans once again, and there’s no better way to do that than being part of a Christmas show with friends from some of the biggest boy bands including 98 Degrees, All 4 One and O-Town.
Making two stops in Western New York - December 9 at Seneca Niagara Casino Resort and December 10 at Seneca Allegany Casino Resort - the singer will be joined by Jeff Timmons, Drew Lachey and Justin Jeffre of 98 Degrees, Jamie Jones of All-4-One and Erik-Michael Estrada of O-Town.
Cabrera is looking forward to returning to the Western New York area, which has a huge connection for him and for another Western New York native that produced his first album, which you will read about in the following conversation. We also talked about his musical influences and all things Christmas, including a message for his fans that he is really excited to share with everyone.
Cabrera is enjoying life with his new bride, Alexis Kaufman, a professional wrestler who goes by Alexa Bliss, whom he wed in April of this year.
“A Boy Band Christmas” is scheduled to play around 12 dates criss-crossing the United States, making all those boy band fans even happier the holidays are here.
You can follow Cabrera on social media platforms (@ryancabrera). For ticket information visit senecacasinos.com.
A CONVERSATION WITH RYAN CABRERA
HULICK: We get two chances to see you when you play Seneca Niagara Casino and then another show at Seneca Allegany Casino.
CABRERA: I love it! I’m excited to see Niagara Falls again.
HULICK: I usually ask the artists I interview if they have a Buffalo connection, but you have a huge connection.
CABRERA: Yes with John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls! He produced my first album. I heard stories when we were making that album… he would tell stories about his band coming up as a sort of punk rock band. It’s crazy where they are now in their careers. It’s great!
HULICK: You started out with the Dallas band Rubix Groove.
CABRERA: (laughs) Yes… back in the day.
HULICK: Were you always into music as a career?
CABRERA: It wasn’t like a childhood dream or anything. When I was around 15 I used to pretend I was in a band because the thought was that’s how I was going to get the girls (laughs)… show up in a band and they think you’re cool… even if I didn’t play any instruments. (laughs) Then when I was 17 or 18 I saw the Dave Matthews Band play and then I thought… oh, I want to do that.
HULICK: You’ve had great success, including in your solo career. In fact, some of your songs have been part of some pretty big moments. Your song “I Will Remember You” was used during the closing montage series finale of “Will & Grace”, and also used as the send-off of female contestants on the third season of “So You Think You Can Dance”.
CABRERA: Yes. The story about that song is that when I turned that into the record label they didn’t like it. They said it shouldn’t make the album, so it wasn’t made a single. My publisher loved the song and he said that he was going to keep rolling with the song even though the label didn’t want to put it on the album, and low and behold “Will and Grace” picked it up and then came “So You Think You Can Dance”. It was also used in a Ford commercial on the “American Idol” finale and all of a sudden it had life, and then the label was like… oh, we love that song.
HULICK: (laughs) Don’t you love that when it happens… and somebody’s so dead set against it and you get the chance to prove them wrong?
CABRERA: (laughs) Yes! Absolutely! Especially in music… it happens all the time. You just gotta believe that if you think it’s a great song then you gotta go for it.
HULICK: You write all your own music. How did the pandemic effect that? A lot of artists have told me that they looked at the lyrics differently because of all that was going on.
CABRERA: The pandemic happened right after I met my wife and we really just took that time to spend with each other… but I did get one great song out of it and that’s my current single, “Worth It”.
HULICK: You got married in April, so you’re still in the honeymoon stage.
CABRERA: Yes… we’re about six months in… we’re very happy.
HULICK: Who were your musical influences?
CABRERA: Mine were kind of all over the place, from Dave Matthews, Beatles, George Harrison, Sam Cook, Paul Simon… the classics.
HULICK: Let’s talk Christmas. Since you are doing your Boy Band Christmas tour I think it would be something fun.
CABRERA: Yes, let’s do it. I love Christmas. I have my tree up year-round.
HULICK: Do you have a family tradition?
CABRERA: Every year my mom cooks a Colombian breakfast because that’s what grandma used to do when we were kids. My dad’s from Columbia. Growing up my mom learned all the recipes, so she cooks Arepas every year now that my grandma has passed. I can’t wait for that breakfast! When I smell it that’s when I get out of bed. (laughs
HULICK: (laughs) That’s what my next question was going to be… your must-have food. What was your favorite gift as a child?
CABRERA: I was a little bit of a naughty kid. I snatched my mother’s credit card and there was this guitar that I wanted. It was an electric guitar, so with her credit card I went to Guitar Center in Boston and bought this really expensive guitar that I dreamed of having… and of course I wasn’t even thinking I’m gonna get caught… but I was young and dumb (laughs)… and I got grounded and she took the guitar back and I was pretty bummed. Four or five months later Christmas came around and there it was! She never returned it, so I got the guitar for Christmas that year.
HULICK: What’s your favorite Christmas carol and Christmas song?
CABRERA: That’s a good question. Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song”… that’s classic. My favorite Christmas carol… out of the old school ones? I’d say “Rudolph”. Then “Oh, Holy Night”… some of the guys are performing that one on the tour… their own version. So I’m looking forward to hearing that on the tour.
HULICK: We can’t wait until all of you guys get here. This is gonna be fun!
CABRERA: You’re mixing individuals of all of these bands together. It’s like a dream come true for fans… and we actually all like each other so that makes it 10X more fun for everyone.
HULICK: Well I know Jamie Jones and Jeff Timmons are excited about it. I had the chance to talk to each of them as well. Do you have a message for your fans that are coming out to see you?
CABRERA: I’m super excited to do some things we’ve never done before. Me and Erik-Michael Estrada of “O-Town” have a brand new Christmas song to debut, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. This is my first time ever writing a Christmas song. I hope they all like it!