Musgraves is no stranger to external judgment, particularly when it comes to her demeanor.
Country radio personality Bobby Bones infamously criticized Musgraves for her apparent attitude during a CMA Awards interview; he actually played a portion of the interview in a segment called “Is Kacey Musgraves Annoyed?”
The artist also caught heat for the “face” she held when it was revealed that Miranda Lambert – not Musgraves – won Female Vocalist of the Year at that same 2013 CMA ceremony.
Those who pass unwanted judgment have also been a target of numerous Musgraves songs, including “Biscuits” and her newly released “High Horse.”
It is fitting, therefore, that the topic of personality judgment would factor into her Billboard cover story.
Coinciding with the release of her acclaimed new album “Golden Hour,” the feature spans numerous topics. One such topic is the idea of a gender double standard.
“All you have to do is not smile…and they’re like, ‘She’s a bitch.,'” says Musgraves regarding the heightened standard for female artists. “There’s so much extra pressure on females in the music industry to be accommodating and nice, and it’s such horseshit.”
To further illustrate her point, Musgraves provides examples of male artists who do not appear to face the same scrutiny.
“They would never say that to Stapleton, or Eric Church, who wears his fucking sunglasses all the time,” explains Musgraves. “If I wore my sunglasses all the time, people would be like, ‘She thinks she is hot shit.'”
A compelling read, the interview also touches on diversity in Nashville, her evolution as both a person and songwriter, reverence for Americana, the influence of psychadelics and more.
