10 Things You May Not Know About Kacey Musgraves
She's both an open book and a mysterious country-music powerhouse.
With six Grammy awards, seven CMA Awards and plenty of other accolades, Kacey Musgraves is one of the most successful artists in country music today. Although her singles don’t boast as much radio success as other artists in the genre, her influence has reached beyond country radio and even beyond the sphere of country music, as she’s enjoyed crossover success and has built a diverse fan base.
Musgraves has always been known for unapologetically singing what she feels, and music fans have rewarded her authenticity throughout the years. But although she’s often open and honest, there may be some facts the casual fan doesn’t know about her. Here are 10 things you may not know about the Golden, Texas, native, Kacey Musgraves.
1. She came into the world a bit early.
As she sings in her song “Slow Burn” with the lyrics, “Born in a hurry, always late, haven’t been early since ’88,” Musgraves made her entrance into this world a bit early. She has stated that she was born a month to six weeks before her due date, weighing about five pounds. Despite her premature entrance into the world, however, she admits she sometimes has a habit of being late.
“I am definitely poking a little bit of fun at myself, because I was born a month early, and I struggle with having a little bit of a time management issue sometimes,” she told The Boot.
2. She started writing songs at a very young age.
Like many successful artists, Musgraves found her musical talent when she was just a child. In fact, she wrote her very first song, called “Notice Me,” when she was 9 years old. Musgraves has not expanded on exactly what the song was about or shared any snippets of it, but the title alone sounds fitting for a young girl to write.
3. She was part of a Texas duo with a friend.
As soon as Musgraves showed interest in music, her family supported her by helping her start performing around Texas. She soon began taking mandolin and guitar lessons and performing at local festivals. When she was 11, she started a duo called the Texas Two Bits with a friend named Alina Tatum. The girls performed in their home state and were experts at yodeling, even winning multiple yodeling championships.
4. She received an invitation to perform for the president.
Musgraves and her duo partner Alina found early success as the Texas Two Bits, and their popularity took them to some honorable events. They were once invited to perform in front of President George W. Bush at the Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C., an honor that was undoubtedly exciting for the young performers.
5. She performed on the Olympics.
Performing for the President wasn’t the only honor Musgraves received in her young career. In 2002, Musgraves sang the National Anthem at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT. She was in eighth grade.
“I remember being really excited that I got to leave middle school for three weeks and go,” Musgraves said of the honor in 2013.
6. She found early attention on a reality show.
By the time she was in high school, Musgraves had already built a solid foundation for herself in the music industry, and she found even more notoriety when she appeared on a singing competition show. Musgraves competed on Nashville Star, the show that also introduced stars like Miranda Lambert and Chris Young, in 2007. She placed seventh on the show.
7. She released independent albums before making it big.
Like many artists, Kacey Musgraves released her own albums before signing with a major record label. She released an album with the Texas Two Bits called Little Bit of Texas in 2000. The album cover shows Musgraves and her duo partner dressed in their best Western gear and the project features songs such as “Yodel Your Troubles Away.” Musgraves then released her first independent solo album when she was 14.
8. She found success with fellow Texas group, the Josh Abbott Band.
Another event that proved integral in Musgraves’ musical journey was being featured on a tune by the Josh Abbott Band. The Texas group included Musgraves on their 2011 tune, “Oh, Tonight,” which helped introduce the singer to a larger audience. The song found a wide reach beyond the state boundaries of Texas, landing at No. 44 on the national country charts.
9. She’s written hits songs for other artists.
Kacey Musgraves has written her own hit songs that have earned her Grammy awards, but she doesn’t keep all the talent for herself. The artist has written for other singers as well. For example, she penned Miranda Lambert’s unruly 2013 single, “Mama’s Broken Heart,” with fellow songwriters Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. She and co-writer Trent Dabbs are also the writers behind “Undermine,” a song featured on Season One of Nashville and sung by Hayden Panettiere.
10. She also had dreams of being a makeup artist.
It might not have been her main dream, but Musgraves once stated that if she hadn’t been a singer, she would have taken up a career as a makeup artist. After all, Musgraves is certainly experienced in applying expert makeup after all her years of performing, and she revealed her “Plan B” career choice (and shared some makeup tips) with Self in 2013. While her makeup routine has most likely changed since 2013, Musgraves has always had a strong sense of her personal style.
