Kacey Musgraves explains why she feuded with Miranda Lambert for over a decade

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Despite growing up just 18 miles apart in Texas and sharing the same guitar teacher, John DeFoore, Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert didn’t talk to each other for more than ten years.

Both singers were connected through Barbara Taylor, Kacey Musgraves’ grandmother. She was the one who encouraged Miranda Lambert to audition for the USA Network’s Nashville Star in 2003, a show that helped launch Lambert’s career.

Oh my gosh, I was SO excited when I heard Miranda Lambert had co-written “Mama’s Broken Heart” with Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally! I really thought it would be her first single in 2011, it was perfect for her. But then Carrie Underwood, who’s amazing too, just had to have it, and honestly, she said she couldn’t live without it, so I guess it was meant to be hers. Still, I always picture Miranda singing it, it just fits her so well!

I really connected with the song. After years of writing for other artists, I finally felt like I was writing songs that truly represented me, and I wanted to keep them for myself,” Musgraves shared with NPR Music on Wednesday.

After that, the song was unexpectedly sent to Lambert without me knowing. It put me in a difficult spot, because she really connected with it and wanted to use it, but I also had to think about my other collaborators.

Blake Shelton’s former wife shared with Taste of Country in 2011 that she really loved one of his songs, calling it incredibly unique, and wished she had been the one to write it.

However, it wasn’t until 2013 that Miranda Lambert’s song, “Mama’s Broken Heart,” gained significant popularity, reaching number two on the country charts and number twenty on the overall Billboard Hot 100.

Kacey Musgraves eventually understood that the situation ultimately benefited everyone involved. Being forced to start over actually inspired her to write ‘Merry Go Round,’ which she felt was a much better fit for her artistic vision and songwriting style.

The Grammy-winning artist only decided to collaborate with Lambert on her new song, “Horses and Divorces,” after seeing a video of her riding a horse on Instagram.

‘I just randomly reached out to her,’ Musgraves said.

I told him, ‘Look, we’ve had our disagreements, but we actually have a couple of things in common. I’m not looking to be friends, and we both live our own lives. But I think we could write a really hilarious song together, and Shane McAnally should be involved.’

She immediately agreed and was excited to work on it, which felt like things were coming full circle for us. We finally addressed some past issues, had a great time, and wrote the song in just a few hours.

The Democratic politician also said she believes this situation reflects what she’d like to see more often in the world: people simply relaxing, joking with each other, sharing a drink, and moving on.

The talented pair also happen to share the same make-up artist, Moani Lee.

Kacey Musgraves debuted her new music video for “Dry Spell” on Wednesday. The video, filmed in a small-town grocery store, reflects the singer’s choice to abstain from sex for over a year, and playfully portrays the frustrations that come with it.

The advocate for abortion rights has been busy promoting her latest album, Middle of Nowhere, a 13-song collection set to release on May 1st.

The record also features guests like Gregory Alan Isakov, Billy Strings and Willie Nelson.

Kacey Musgraves, a popular artist with 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify, won’t be performing live again until September 25th, when she’s headlining the Bourbon & Beyond music festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

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2026-03-12 20:33