Kacey Musgraves, the acclaimed country singer, finds solace and inspiration in the natural world. She lives in a home surrounded by trees and wildlife, a mere ten minutes from downtown Nashville. Musgraves delights in the presence of deer, bobcats, and owls in her yard, and once had to honk her horn to encourage wild turkeys to leave her driveway. This connection to nature deeply influences her life and artistry.
Creative Impulses and New York Inspiration
Despite her affinity for nature, Musgraves felt drawn to record her intimate 14-song album, Deeper Well, at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, New York City. She describes New York City as a "maximalist environment full of humans," noting its loudness and occasional unpleasant smells. However, the heart of the folk scene resonated with the Texas native, providing a unique backdrop for her creative process.
Deeper Well: An Evolving Project
Musgraves' creative process is ever-evolving. "Every project is different because you never step in the same river twice," says Tashian. Musgraves is a highly sensitive and perceptive artist. After the initial recording sessions, Musgraves wasn’t finished writing for the project, adding seven new songs to the album and put out Deeper Into the Well in August. These additions reflect her ongoing exploration of personal themes and experiences.
Vulnerability and Songwriting
Musgraves finds songwriting to be a unique outlet for expressing her deepest thoughts. "It can be really intimidating to put your most intimate thoughts out there,” says Musgraves. "But I always find it to be the opposite in the sense that some of the things that are hard for me to say in real life, I can actually randomly say more easily in song form." This vulnerability is a hallmark of her work, allowing her to connect with listeners on a profound level.
Encounters with the Unseen
Musgraves acknowledges her belief in the spiritual realm. "I’m a believer in the other side," Musgraves says. "I think we don’t have all the answers there. And I think everything is made of energy." Following the passing of her friend John Prine from COVID-19 complications in April 2020, Musgraves experienced a series of unusual events. She describes these occurrences as "weird stuff," including the daily appearance of a cardinal at her window. Inspired by the saying "Cardinals appear when angels are near," Musgraves channeled these experiences into her music.
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Deeper Well: A Thematic Exploration
The song "Deeper Well" was the second song Musgraves and her producers wrote for the album. She didn’t have a title for it yet. She planned to let the songs shape her journey and then zoom out to find the overarching theme. "I just knew it spoke to, in a larger sense, where I feel like I was in my life and where I am right now," she says. "I’m right in the middle of my 30s. It feels really good. ‘Deeper Well’ is an ode to ruthlessly removing resistance to growth." Musgraves describes the song as an exploration of personal refinement. This involves evaluating habits, relationships, and living environments to ensure they align with her growth. "Are these habits working for me? Am I living in the right place? What can I refine here about my life?"
Love, Bravery, and Human Connection
Musgraves reflects on the complexities of love and relationships. "You are making love," she says. "It takes a lot of bravery to put yourself out there again." She acknowledges the ease of remaining in a controlled, single world, but emphasizes the importance of growth through navigating relationships. "But you also grow a lot as a human by rubbing up against someone else’s shortcomings and them rubbing up against yours. And it’s just scary. Conflict is inevitable with love. It’s part of it."
"Jade Green": A Personal Favorite
When asked about her favorite song, Musgraves finds it difficult to choose, as many artists do. "People ask me, ‘What’s your favorite song?’ And it’s ridiculous. You cannot pick as the creator." However, she admits a strong fondness for "Jade Green," describing its uplifting and joyful quality. "But if I was going to pick a fave, fave, I feel like ‘Jade Green’ would be very high up on there. That song makes me want to just frolic. I just want to frolic."
"The Architect": Finding Meaning in Chaos
"The Architect" was the last song Musgraves wrote for Deeper Well. She thought the album was complete, but the singer, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne met for a write in Nashville in early 2023. The song emerged from a conversation about the beauty and terror of being human. "We were talking about the beauty and the terror of being a human," she says. The inspiration struck during a writing session with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. "If you say something like that in a room with either Shane or Josh, in two milliseconds, you’re going to have your answer," she says. "Josh just goes, ‘Can I speak to the architect? What’s going on here in this world?’ It really was born out of a real conversation. And I was holding a little green apple whenever I was sitting in there. That song was written super fast."
Digging Deeper: Exploring Emotions
Musgraves put significant thought and intent into the original batch of songs for Deeper Well. She didn’t realize until later that she wanted to dig even deeper. "It’s scratching a little bit more under the surface," she says. Musgraves explores themes of love and protection in her music. "Obviously, it can be about somebody that you’re in love with, or it can be about anyone that you love that you feel protective over," Musgraves says. "That’s how I feel about my friend group."
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Sisterhood: A Complex Bond
Musgraves shares a close but complex relationship with her sister, Kelly. "There is something so beautiful and terrible about a sister’s relationship," Musgraves says. "You’ll hurt each other so much. Growing up, Kelly and I have fought a lot." Despite their occasional conflicts, Musgraves considers her sister a confidante and best friend. She humorously recounts an incident where she threw a can of Coke at her sister. "She’s brilliant," Musgraves says. "But there was a point in time where I literally threw a full can of Coke purposely at her head. And I will say, I freaking nailed it. I could have been drafted into Major League Baseball with this throw. I mean, it was across the room. It was impressive, but it really hurt her."
Symmetry, Balance, and Tiny Habits
Musgraves describes herself as detail-oriented, finding comfort in symmetry and balance. "I’m a very detail-oriented person," she says. "Even since I was little, I really make sense of the world via symmetry and balance. I mean, you can ask all my friends. I’m always arranging things. If I’m standing at a hostess stand at a restaurant waiting to be seated, I’m straightening the business cards." She also expresses admiration for the band Tiny Habits, praising their songwriting and voices. "So that song literally does touch on some of that. But also, my friends Tiny Habits, I’m such a fan of their songs, their writing, their voices. I just think they’re going to take over the damn world. I’m lucky to call them friends. They’re so sweet."
Songwriting Challenges and Simplification
Musgraves reflects on the challenges of songwriting, acknowledging the universality of emotions and themes. "That’s the challenge of a songwriter," she says. "Every song has been written a million times. Every emotion has been written a million times." She strives to simplify her songs and make them more conversational. "It’s a really fun challenge," she says.
"Irish Goodbye": Avoiding Ghosting
Musgraves touches on the concept of an "Irish Goodbye," which means leaving without saying goodbye. She uses the term as a metaphor for avoiding ghosting in relationships. "Don’t ghost people," she says. "Just have the balls to say, ‘I’m sorry. I need to move on. I need to do this, that, or the other.’ Don’t leave people hanging. But at a party, what are you going to do? Make the rounds? Say goodbye to a hundred people. You’re going to be out there all night. Just slip out the back."
Reformation x Kacey Musgraves: Fashion Design
Kacey Musgraves recently added fashion designer to her resume. Reformation x Kacey Musgraves includes vintage-inspired and fashion-forward pieces ranging from boots, fur jackets, and denim corsets to delicate dresses, separates, long, heavy coats, and more. Prices range from $28 to $498. She describes Reformation as “an awesome clothing brand” that she’s a fan of. "I’m working hand in hand with a brand and thinking about their consumers, what they would like, what do I want?" she says. "I want to create a world for someone to step into, much like my albums." She details the line as beautiful, tailored, cottage core, feminine, and slightly equestrian. Given the aesthetic, the location for the photoshoot was of the utmost importance to her. “They’re so dreamy,” she says of the photos, explaining that her sister had shot them at a house that was originally a monastery built in the 1400s. “There was a 1,000-year-old tree in the front yard. I mean, stacked stone walls and rolling hills and sheep and horses."
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Fitness and Wellness
Kacey Musgraves is heating up the tropics in her swimsuit. The country singer shows off her gorgeous figure in a bathing suit in one of her latest social media snaps, taken during a vacation in Mustique. In the Instagram post, she rides on a horse, plays cards, and goes for an evening stroll in her swimwear. How does she stay so fit? Kacey works out with celebrity trainer Erin Opera, who told PureWow she works hard in the gym. “Kacey has worked her butt off and I couldn’t be prouder of her. “Some workouts that we’ve loved doing that can be done on the bus are Tabatas. I also love turning fitness into a game because why not make it fun but still challenging?” Opera told PureWow. “Tabatas are a four-minute workout that involves 20-second bursts of exercise followed by 10 secs of rest for 8 rounds. Musgraves told Us that she also like Pure Barre. Erin follows Opera’s 4 x 4 diet, “a clean, healthy, balanced lifestyle so that they can still enjoy the foods they love, but in moderation.” She is allowed to drink alcohol, except in the week leading up to an award show. But other times, she is allowed to drink. “I’m not saying you can drink as much alcohol as you want, but I try to limit them to two drinks a week, which a lot of people are like, ‘Oh jeez!