The title track for her forthcoming record.
Last month, Kacey Musgraves announced her sixth studio album, Middle of Nowhere, which Musgraves produced alongside longtime collaborators Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk.
Kacey is a proud Texas girl, and so the album draws on plenty of inspiration from her home state, and considering there’s a sign in her tiny, unincorporated, no-stoplight hometown of Golden, Texas, with a population of under 300 that reads “Golden, TX: Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere,” that sparked the idea for the title track and much of the theme for the entire album.
Kacey wrote this album during what she calls “the longest single period” of her life, which is more than apparent on the lead single “Dry Spell,” which we’ll get to, and in a press release about the new record, this collection of songs will find:
“Musgraves leaning intentionally into open space and traditional western elements. Pedal steel, accordion, and Texas dancehall rhythms provide a nostalgic framework that she flips on its head in signature fashion. It is a sonic love letter to the musical borders of Country, echoing influence from adjacent genres such as bluegrass, pop, and even bits of Norteño and Zydeco.”
Kacey says the title “middle of nowhere” comes from both a literal and more abstract idea of that line:
“The bulk of this record was made during the longest single period of my life, and I found that for the first time, it actually felt incredible being alone and existing in a space not defined by anyone else. I became fascinated with the concept of liminal space, both geographical and emotional.
We don’t linger in these transitional, empty spaces long enough and rush to define where or whatever is next. I became so at ease with being in the ‘middle of nowhere’ in many senses and sitting in the un-comfort of the undefined.
I had a lot of time for creative ambling and leaning into myself in different ways; horses, humor, writing with my early collaborators again, and living out my very simple, inspired life between Texas, Tennessee, and Mexico.”
Today, fans see the vision come to life for the record as Musgraves shared the title track “Middle of Nowhere.” Penned alongside Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk, the track brings to life Musgraves’ feeling of diving into an empty space, but literally and figuratively.
Her clever lyrics, combined with a serene melody, highlight being literally in the middle of nowhere, “past the Dairy Queen, the county line, where there ain’t any fences,” yet finding a sense of peace being alone and on her own. As the lyrics continue, Musgraves finds greater comfort in solitude and realizes she can operate in this space without relying on others.
It almost feels as though Musgraves feels slightly guilty for being off the grid, admitting she does not want to be contacted by anyone. Yet, she loves this new independence she’s found and acknowledges that it’s been healthy for her to operate in this uncharted territory.
“Gonna find my own peace
I wanna be
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere
And I think maybe I’ll just stay there
Don’t tell me you miss me, I don’t care
I’m somewhere in the middle of nowhere
Ohh
The thing that I love about the place that I’m in
There’s no reckless men
Who don’t know what they want
Trying to lean into the in-between
It’s just me and me
And that’s all I need”
This song takes me back to the Golden Hour days of Musgraves’ career and instantly resonates with me as a fan. We’ve all been through periods of life when we’ve had to get comfortable with ourselves, and once you get past the fear of being alone, I think many would agree that space also brings a sense of extreme peace.
I hope we get to hear this one live (and maybe a few more) during Musgraves’ upcoming Coachella performance.
Turn it all the way up.
