I’ve been creating music for many years under the name Runaway Horse with my longtime collaborator Robert Musseman III, along with other regular musical contributors, drawing on the alt-country and Americana traditions of the Southwest, where I lived most of my life in New Mexico and Texas. With my most recent album Mujer, I began exploring my voice in Spanish, and that journey has opened a new era for me as a Latina modern folk artist releasing music under my own name, Mariana Tirsa. While there are still upcoming Runaway Horse releases, I’m most excited to follow this new path that weaves together my heritage, bilingual songwriting, and vision for what’s ahead.

RUNAWAY HORSE

MUJER (Woman)

Released in 2025, Mujer (Woman) is my first bilingual album, a heartfelt tribute to my mother, Alicia Cahue, and to the creative force of women who have shaped our world. Blending English, Spanish, and a touch of French, these songs weave together my dual-language upbringing, the love of poetry, and my search for my artistic voice from my maternal lineage. This album is also an offering and an invitation—for those who seek to honour their loved ones through art, to reconnect with their roots, and to discover the power of giving voice to their own creativity.

Beyond my personal connection, this album delves into the broader meaning of the divine feminine (Roses and Roses). I've explored the idea of ancestry, both biological and spiritual, as a connection to the land and our cellular heritage to our grandmothers. I've also drawn inspiration from Sufi mystical traditions of the divine feminine and the prayer of the rosary (Mercy). 

The song "Mi Voz" (My Voice) is a tribute to my mother's unfinished dream of compiling her memoir journals and becoming a poet. The lyrics are taken directly from her writings, offering a glimpse into her inner world. The spoken word section features her published poem, a testament to her poetic talent and her love of the poetry of the Spanish mystic from the sixteenth century, St. John of the Cross. 

Lastly, Starlight Love is a song I wrote to move through the grief and awe of being by my mother’s side during her final days at home in hospice care after a long illness.

I hope this album resonates with those who wish to honour their loved ones through art, those who seek a deeper connection to the divine feminine, and those who yearn to express their creativity.

~Mariana

  • Mi Voz + Poem

    (c.Mariana Tirs, Alicia Cahue 2023)

    En estas paginas desnudas

    Digo lo que no puedo decir

    Mi corazon no aguanta sufrir

    Hora por hora

    Noche y dia

    En mis lagrimas repremidas

    Mido lo que quiero soltar

    En la poesia de San Juan

    Veo mi voz poeta

    Mi corazon lucha vivir

    Pulmon y pecho

    Mano y braso

    Voy a escribir

    Voy a escribir

    Mi vos, mi vos, mi vos …..

    Esta es mi vos, esta es mi vos

    Mi vos, mi vos, mi vos….

    Esta es mi vos

    Esta es mi vos

    • Poem 

    In Answer To your question

    Why are you here? Or one of the things I never dreamt about.

    I know so little about poetry yet today I want to write a poem in the style of San Juan de la cruz.

    Where do I look for such poetry?

    I’m studying poetry for the first time in my life

    Probabaly a revelation in my life is about to come

    For poetry is the second most beauitful thing that exists in the world for me

    Even if I don’t understand most of what poets say

    Perhaps here now at at last I will understand what poets do mean

    I would like to write like as San Juan de La cruz

    Becasue I want to write poetry about my relationship with God

    That is what I’m here to learn 


    En los caminos mysteriosos

    Sigo mi fe espiritu y alma 

    En las oraciones de mi vida

    Pido por el artista y poeta

    Mi corazon pide a dios

    Calma y paz

    Letra y aire

    Voy a escribir

    Voy a escribir

    Mi vos, mi vos, mi vos …..

    Esta es mi vos, esta es mi vos

    Mi vos, mi vos, mi vos….

    Esta es mi vos

    Esta es mi vos

    En los caminos mysteriosos

    Sigo mi fe espiritu y alma 

    En las oraciones de mi vida

    Pido por el artista y poeta

    Mi corazon pide a dios

    Calma y paz

    Letra y aire

    Voy a escribir

    Voy a escribir

    Mi vos, mi vos, mi vos …..

    Esta es mi vos, esta es mi vos

    Mi vos, mi vos, mi vos….

    Esta es mi vos

    Esta es mi vos






  • My Voice

    (lyrics by Mariana Tirsa & Alicia Cahue c.2024)

    In these naked pages
    I say what I cannot say

    My heart cannot bear to suffer Hour by hour
    Night and day

    In my repressed tears
    I measure what I want to release

    In the poetry of San Juan
    I see my poetic voice

    My heart struggles to live

    Lungs and chest
    Hand and arm

    I will write
    I will write
    My voice, my voice, my voice .....

    This is my voice, this is my voice

    My voice, my voice, my voice.... This is my voice
    This is my voice

    - Poem-

    In Answer To your question
    Why are you here? Or one of the things I never dreamt about.

    I know so little about poetry yet today I want to write a poem in the style of San Juan de la Cruz.
    Where do I look for such poetry?
    I’m studying poetry for the first time in my life

    Probably a revelation in my life is about to come
    For poetry is the second most beautiful thing that exists in the world for me Even if I don’t understand most of what poets say
    Perhaps here now at at last I will understand what poets do mean
    I would like to write like as San Juan de La cruz
    Because I want to write poetry about my relationship with God
    That is what I’m here to learn

    In the mysterious paths
    I follow my faith, spirit and soul

    In the prayers of my life
    I ask for the artist and the poet

    My heart asks God for Calm and peace

    Word and air

    I'm will write
    I'm will write
    My voice, my voice, my voice .....

    This is my voice, this is my voice My voice, my voice, my voice.... This is my voice, This is my voice

  • Mujer (c. Mariana Tirsa 2016)

    Leche eterna
    Divina feminina Siguendo me en el cielo Con allas de paz

    Corazon sagrada
    mujer de las estrellas Escuchando me con su forma Transformada en luz

    Mujer Mujer Eres tu pura luz Eres tu pura luz eres tu...pura luz

    Aguas Profunda
    El mar es la mujer Tocando me en la arena En las olas de me ser

    Gracia y misercordia
    En los brazos de mi mama Quidando me con sus manos siempre en enternidad

    Mujer Mujer Eres tu pura luz Eres tu pura luz eres tu...pura luz

    Mama querida tu fe y poesía tu silencio y alegria oraciones por toda la vida

    (Instrumental)

    Mujer Mujer, (Eres tu pura luz X2 ) Mujer, mujer, (Eres tu pura luz X2), Mujer, mujer, (Eres tu pura luz X2)

    Eres tu

  • Mujer Mujer

    Milkyway

    Divine feminine following me in the sky 

    With wings of peace

    Sacred heart

    Woman of the stars listening to me with her form 

    Transformed into light

    Woman, Woman, you are your pure light. 

    You are your pure light. You are your pure light.. you are...pure light

    Deep waters

    The sea is the woman touching me in the sand 

    In the waves of my being


    Grace and mercy

    In the arms of my mother keeping me with her hands

    Always in eternity


    Woman, Woman, you are your pure light. 

    You are your pure light. You are your pure light.. you are...pure light

    Dear mother your faith and poetry

    Your silence and joy 

    Prayers for all life

    Woman Woman, (You are your pure light X2 ) Woman, woman, (You are your pure light X2), Woman, woman, (You are your pure light X2)

    You are you

  • Roses & Roses (c.2017 Mariana Tirsa)

    From the belly of a woman and the seed of a man

    Back to the womb of my grandmother
    That’s where I began
    That’s where I began

    In the black of midnight
    It is both empty and it is full

    Back to my ancestors Everywoman and everyman Everywoman

    Roses, and roses, and roses, and roses of you, X2 Roses of you, Roses of you

    From the moment I was remembered Until I’ll no longer breathe
    Back to the original beginning
    She has always been she,

    Always been she

    In the land where I was born

    And the clay of my body
    Back to the warp and the weft

    Every thread in the loom, Every thread

    Roses, and roses, and roses, and roses of you X2
    Roses of you, Roses of you

    From the start we fight off the nothin’ afraid we’ll be left
    Alone like orphans

    Roses, and roses, and roses, and roses of you
    Roses of you, Roses of you

  • Mercy

    (Lyrics by Mariana Tirsa and Elizabeth Hin)

    I swim in the big sea 

    And the waves carry me

    My face presses in the sand the salt cleans 

    out my wounds


    When you lose everything you have

    and feel like no one is holding you

    What grows is the faith hidden deep inside



    I soar in the vast sky

    And the dawn sings me

    My soul rests in the clouds and Oh the deep blue

    Shall answer


    In life, seek peace

    In humanity and in your being

    with thousands of prayers shining blue

    like the sea


    Mercy…. For You

    (Hail Mary, Full of Grace)

    Mercy ….For Me

    (Blessed are you among women)

    What now are we to do when our world is on the line X2

    What are we going to do with our world that is on the edge



    I walk the poet's path words giving the way

    my heart a gentle glow and oh the trees shall answer


    My father is a tree

    Saje for my life

    My life is a bouquet of flowery songs


    Mercy…. For You

    (Hail Mary, Full of Grace)

    Mercy ….For Me

    (Blessed are you among women)

    What now are we to do when our world is on the line X2

    What are we going to do with our world that is on the edge

  • STARLIGHT LOVE (c.2016 Mariana Tirsa)

    We’re breathing hard, chasing down time, slipping from gravity, ..here it

    ..Comes, Here it comes, Here it comes, starlight, starbright, starlight, starlight love. //// all that is

    Me, breathes when you breathe, sound of your body releasing, releasing’, all that is You, all that is me, letting go, letting go, letting go, OHoooo, here it...

    Comes, Here it comes, Here it comes, starlight, starbright, starlight,starlight love. //// all that is

    You, I can feel in my hands, sound of your heart beating and beating, all that is you, all that is me, I love you, I love you, I love you, Ohooooooo
    here it...

    Comes, Here it comes, Here it comes, starlight, starbright, starlight, starlight love (Instrumental)

    You are fading away ////
    I say you’re doing so great...eyes so
    Clear, gentle morphine, all of you is still here with me,
    we’re letting go, letting go, letting go, starlight... all that is

    You, dreamin’ and dreamin’, sound of your soul expanding, expanding, all that is me,all that is you, saying goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, Ohoooooo Here it..

    (abridged X2 full X4) Comes, Here it comes, Here it comes, starlight, starbright, starlight, starlight love..here it, Comes, Here it comes, Here it comes, starlight, starbright,starlight love..here it

    Comes, Here it comes, Here it comes, starlight, starbright, starlight love..here it Comes, Here it comes, Here it comes, starlight, starbright, starlight love..here it

    We’re breathing hard, chasing down time, slipping from gravity.

  • Mariana Tirsa: lead vocals tracks 1-6, keyboard synth track 5, piano tracks 1 & 6

    Alan Burrows: bass tracks 2,3,4, & 5

    Jack Daniel: drums tracks 2,3,4, & 5

    Cheryl Cher T Pepper: percussion track 5

    Eliah Kurko: bells and vocal chorus track 5

    Michael Kurko: vocal chorus track 5

    Joseph Manzello: electric guitar tracks 3 & 5

    Robert Musseman III: acoustic guitar 1,2, 3, 4, 5, & 6, harmony vocal tracks 2, 3,4,& 5,

    Jana Pochop: synth performance, programming & bass tracks 1& 6

    Robin T. Smith: piano tracks 2,3,4, & 5

    Jekaterina Grigorjeva: violin track 5

    Sadie Ward: harp track 5

  • Production (Mujer, Mercy, Starlight Love, Roses): Mariana Tirsa and Robert Musseman III

    Production (Mi Voz): Jana Pochop - Golden Hour Production, Albuquerque, NM

    Engineering: Jake Waters  (Fire Sation Studio, San Marcos, TX) and Andre Moran (Cedar Creek Studio, Austin, TX)

    Mixing: Max Lorenz (Good Danny’s Studio) and Russell Tanner 

    Mastering: Russell Tanner

    Photography: Elena Mudd Photography (front cover and …)

    Photography: Mariana Tirsa (collage photo)

    Photography: Omar Mena Photography (group photo)

    Graphic Design: Emily Shirley

RUNAWAY HORSE ~ Singles

Falling is the haunting single from Runaway Horse, written over five years ago, yet prophetically relevant today. Recorded in El Paso, TX, the song reflects on the fragility of democracy and the unsettling sense of ground slipping beneath us and dreams lost. With its desert-soaked Alt Country sound, reminiscent of Calexico and Neko Case, Falling weaves stark imagery and plaintive vocals into a cinematic meditation on cultural and creative loss, and the uneasy beauty still found in uncertain times.

“The Man No One Sees” is a tender folk ballad in the tradition of The Decemberists, honoring the quiet collaborators and unseen companions who shape the music from behind the scenes. At once personal and universal, the song reflects on the men whose strength comes not from visibility but from silence, presence, and steady peace—those who remain out of the spotlight yet are essential to the harmony of both art and life.

Beautiful Blue Debut EP (2013)

Americana Ballads