Kacey Musgraves dropped a new album called "Middle of Nowhere," assembling a roster of collaborators that reads like a country music hall of fame session. Willie Nelson appears on the record, as do Miranda Lambert and Billy Strings, among others.
The project marks Musgraves' return to recording after a period away from the spotlight. Her last album, "Star-Crossed," came out in 2021 to critical acclaim, and she's spent the intervening years largely out of the public eye. This new work signals she's ready to engage with the audience again, and the guest list suggests she's thinking bigger about her sound.
Musgraves has always occupied an interesting space in country music, blending traditional songwriting with pop sensibilities and experimental production choices. Bringing in Nelson and Lambert, both icons in their own right, hints that "Middle of Nowhere" might lean deeper into country's foundations than some of her recent work. Strings, a bluegrass virtuoso who's had a streaming moment of his own, adds another dimension to what could be a sonically rich project.
The album is now available on streaming platforms.