The West Christmas Ever
The West Christmas Ever is the third extended play by American drag performer Nina West, which was released by Producer Entertainment Group on November 8, 2019. The Christmas EP has five original songs and three interludes featuring Jim Cummings; The Vox Ensemble of the Columbus Gay Men's Chorus are featured on "Santa Will Be Gone". "Jingle Juice" has a music video. The EP peaked at number five on Billboard Comedy Albums chart, and had a generally-positive reception.
Development
Nina West began work on the project in July 2019. She completed five songs, which she described as "very different" and representative of "all of these different parts of Andrew and Nina respectively, and my sensibilities around the holidays, both in and out of drag".She met American voice actor and singer Jim Cummings in August, at a D23 event through Cummings' ex-wife and daughter, who are fans of RuPaul's Drag Race, the American reality television series in which Nina West competed. Needing someone to voice Santa Claus and tie the songs together, West recruited Cummings. In a Billboard interview, she recalled that he agreed to participate "without batting a lash". West described herself as a "lifelong Disney fan" who was "hyper aware of Jim for a long time": "His voice is synonymous with so many Disney characters that you likely are a fan of his without knowing it". She said about working with him:
Composition
The EP includes five original songs and three "whimsical" interludes with Cummings. Billboard Stehen Daw wrote, "The new project sees the star tackling all the genres she can, from country-rock to classic choral Christmas, all while playing up her character as Nina the Elf, and not-so-helpful helper of Santa Claus." "Jingle Juice" was described as a "honky-honk holiday hoedown" by Hollywood Life's Jason Brow. West said that the song was her favorite to sing and record for the EP, and described "Jingle Juice" as having a "rockabilly, Chris Stapleton, stomp-clap, Christmas at a saloon in the North Pole kind of vibe". She said about the song:"Christmas Arrow" commemorates one of West's favorite singers. In "Cha Cha Heels", she declares John Waters Female Trouble a Christmas film; West said that the song allows her to connect with her appreciation for Broadway theatre, "like it's a weird extension of Hairspray". In "It's Chris, Miss", she asks Santa Claus for some Hollywood "hunks" under her Christmas tree. West described the song as "ridiculousness" and "really really fun ... because lyrically, it is just so dumb". "Santa Will Be Gone" features the Vox Ensemble of the Columbus Gay Men's Chorus.