Kacey Musgraves: ‘Just Be True to What You’re Doing’
Kacey Musgraves pulls from diverse influences for her newest album, Golden Hour, from the funky, disco-infused beats of "High Horse" to the ethereal minimalism of "Space Cowboy" and everything in between. However, in a recent interview with Hits Daily Double, the country singer explains that the differences in her songs are simply different explorations of the same musical style she's had since the outset of her career.
"My records are very much 'me,'" Musgraves explains. "So for the people who loved Same Trailer and Pageant Material, I didn't want them going, 'Who the f--k is this? Where's Kacey?' Being weird to be weird in their eyes wasn't something I wanted to do, but being wholly me, even more me, was what this was about. You know, the future and traditionalism, organic instruments and synth and vocoder can co-exist. There's no reason they can't; it's just figuring out how to do it."
Musgraves has proved that her music has the potential to span across style and genre: She recently joined Harry Styles for his Thrill of it All Tour in 2018. "I thought, 'Well, we're meeting somewhere in the middle,'" she says of that tour. "It's incredible to see the intensity and energy his fans bring."
Stepping into a different musical realm doesn't mean stepping out of the country world, and Musgraves' country roots are at the core of her latest project, even with all its disparate influences. However, she points out, country artists have a long history of taking an overarching approach to traditional music.
"Look at Buck Owens or Roger Miller; they're both icons in my eyes," she adds. "Roger Miller was known for his humor, but there was a lot of deep water under those songs, and a lot of meat on those bones. Look at all the places he went: From Broadway to Disney. To me, if you look beyond the box, the whole world is waiting -- no matter what you call the music, just be true to what you're doing."
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