Middle of Nowhere is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves. It was released on May 1, 2026, through Lost Highway Records. The album was written and recorded following her signing to the relaunched label, which she had been the final artist to join prior to its initial closure in 2012.
Middle of Nowhere was developed during a period of prolonged singlehood, which Musgraves described as shaping its themes of solitude, self-definition, and "liminal" states. Drawing on her Texas roots, it incorporates elements of country, Western swing, bluegrass, and regional Mexican styles, while emphasizing traditional instrumentation such as the pedal steel guitar. Its lyrics reflect introspection and post-breakup clarity, with an increased focus on personal independence and emotional transition.
Musgraves released four singles from Middle of Nowhere—"Dry Spell", the title track, "Loneliest Girl", and "Mexico Honey". In support of the album, she embarked on its accompanying tour, Middle of Nowhere Tour. Middle of Nowhere received critical acclaim from reviewers, who highlighted its thematic focus on solitude and its blend of traditional and contemporary country elements. The album has charted within the top ten in Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the United States as well as the top twenty in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
Background and writing Kacey Musgraves released her sixth studio album, Deeper Well, in March 2024, and its deluxe edition that August. In April 2025, she signed with the relaunched Lost Highway Records as the label's first signee following Interscope Records's announcement of its revival. Musgraves originally signed to Lost Highway in 2011 as its final artist signing, before the label was folded into Mercury Nashville a year later. She released some singles that year, including "Lost Highway" and "If the World Burns Down".
According to the press release, Middle of Nowhere was "written during a period of reflection and post-breakup clarity". Musgraves worked on the album while single and "leaning into" herself, co-writing every song on the album. She enlisted her longtime collaborators to write and produce the album, reuniting with Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, and Brandy Clark, who contributed to her first major label albums. American songwriters Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk, with whom she began working on her fourth studio album, Golden Hour (2018), also reconciled with her. American singers Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert, and Billy Strings, and South African musician Gregory Alan Isakov participated as featured guests on the album; it marked Musgraves's third collaboration with Nelson, following "Are You Sure" and "A Willie Nice Christmas". Her collaboration with Lambert arose after she reached out to write about their shared experiences, during which they addressed lingering tensions related to "Mama's Broken Heart" (2013), a song she had co-written that was ultimately recorded by Lambert.
Middle of Nowhere was partly inspired by Musgraves's experiences of solitude and self-definition. She said it felt "incredible being alone" and described herself as "existing in a space not defined by anyone else". Expressing an interest in the concept of "liminal space, both geographical and emotional", she explained that she became comfortable inhabiting transitional, undefined states and the "middle of nowhere" in many senses, and that she spent time between Texas, Tennessee, and Mexico. Musgraves also noted to Apple Music that the album differed from her usual approach to music-making, stating that she began writing while going through a breakup, during which she was reevaluating aspects of her personal life and spending more time alone.
Artwork and title
Middle of Nowheres cover artwork features Musgraves standing against a plain backdrop, wearing a felt Stetson, vintage Levi's, and a white tank top, with a spotted steer positioned behind her which her friend brought from his ranch. The photograph was taken in Deep Ellum, Dallas, by her sister Kelly Sutton after the pair spent an afternoon moving the animal through the area in search of a suitable setting. According to Musgraves, she was careful to present "those pieces of Texas and country life that often get overlooked" as opposed to something "cliche". She noted that the artwork was not artificially generated, despite assumptions to the contrary.
The title of Middle of Nowhere and its concept came from exploring Musgraves's roots in Texas. While wandering around her hometown, she noticed a sign that said, "Golden, Texas: Somewhere in the middle of nowhere". Musgraves stated that she found herself "being totally okay in this proverbial 'middle of nowhere, and elaborated that it could describe someone "relationally or emotionally", between jobs, between relationships, or even in a geographic sense. She felt drawn to the physical liminal places like airport terminals.
Composition Middle of Nowhere is a country album that features elements of pop. Inspired by Musgraves's Texas upbringing, it draws on genres including Western swing; bluegrass; 1970s, 1980s, 1990s country; traditional Mexican music like norteño and mariachi; and zydeco. It also features Tejano influences; Musgraves told W magazine that she "ha[d] always been such a fan of norteño and Tejano music", and the time she spent in Mexico "naturally" influenced the album's sound. NMEs Cordelia Lam agreed, highlighting its Tejano sounds, while Steve Erickson of Slant Magazine observed its neotraditional country sound.
Some critics believed that Musgraves had returned to country music in Middle of Nowhere, which features sounds of accordion, pedal steel, and dancehall rhythms of Texas—a "sonic love letter to the musical borders of country", according to the press release. Other critics noted its prominent pedal steel sound throughout the album; Erickson believed that it often functions as a secondary melodic voice with restrained solos that emphasize its expressive tonal qualities, while Flood Magazine author Josh Hurst highlighted its pervasive use of twang and pedal steel, describing the record as Musgraves's most overtly country-oriented release. Middle of Nowhere also contains steel guitar and two-step elements reminiscent of waltz.
Middle of Nowhere shares stylistic elements with Deeper Well, while it marks a more pronounced return to country influences. Its polished production, handled by Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk, was seen by Grant Sharples of Paste as preventing it from fully recapturing the rustic character of Musgraves's earlier work, which results in a sound some viewed as transitional rather than ingenuity. Lyrically, Middle of Nowhere reintroduces a sharper lyrical edge with more pointed and incisive songwriting, in contrast to Deeper Well; Musgraves wrote its tracks "in the throes of Deeper Well".
Songs
Middle of Nowheres title track features sounds of acoustic strums; it starts off with a gentle step, and in the chorus, it turns into a waltz sound. The song is set in time during the verses, and time in the chorus. In "Dry Spell", Musgraves uses double entendres in lines like "Ain't nobody's tool up in my shed... Ain't nobody's truck up in my drive." The ballad tracks, "Back on the Wagon" and "Uncertain, TX", are about a bitter and toxic relationship and contain what Laura Molloy of NME described as "line dance break[s]". The former track presents a style of Garth Brooks story about a woman repeatedly returning to a partner who promises to change, while its chorus plays on internal rhyme. "I Believe in Ghosts" is a pop song, marking a return to 1970s rock influences. The fifth track "Abilene" follows a woman who leaves the titular town in search of something better, drawing thematic parallels to "Blowin' Smoke" (2013), which described unrealized small-town aspirations.
"Coyote" adopts bluegrass elements and depicts a former lover who remains elusive, drawn to "pretty things that can't be held", according to Pitchforks Molly Maren O'Brien. The seventh track "Loneliest Girl" features banjo elements, with a gentle pedal steel–driven arrangement and presents a narrator who insists she is content being alone. A collaboration with Miranda Lambert, "Horses and Divorces", is a norteño-influenced waltz that addresses their previously reported feud. The Guardian author Laura Snapes felt the track sounded like a country version of English singer Charli XCX's 2024 song "Girl, So Confusing" with Lorde. "Uncertain, TX", a collaboration with Willie Nelson, incorporates accordion and a shuffling rhythm influenced by cumbia, a genre with Colombian origins that later became famous in Mexico. On country-disco track "Rhinestoned", Musgraves combines elements of Nashville country style. It adopts a light, groove-driven style, while the next track "Mexico Honey" features rap-like verses and a looser and thrilled tone. The closing track "Hell on Me" is arranged with minimal instrumentation, built around acoustic guitar and pedal steel alongside Musgraves's vocals.
Promotion When a fan asked for details about the album on March 1, 2026, Musgraves replied four days later with a cow face emoji, echoing the cow imagery used in the promotional posters that soon began circulating online. That day, posters and billboards featuring an image of Musgraves with her back turned to the camera appeared in some major United States cities, including Nashville. The advertisements included the message "Dry Spell? Call for a Real Good Time." Calling the number displayed on the posters led to a recording that began with a three-tone sequence similar to the signal heard when a number is misdialed or out of service. In her Instagram page, she embedded a caption: "Welcome to the Middle of Nowhere".
On March 11, Musgraves unveiled Middle of Nowheres cover artwork, release date, and track list along with the lead single, "Dry Spell". On April 15, she was announced as a surprise performer on the second weekend of Coachella 2026. During her set, she performed "Dry Spell" as the final song, debuting "Back on the Wagon", "Uncertain, TX", and the title track. Musgraves kept promoting her album prior to the release, singing "Mexico Honey" at London's Circuit and teasing "Rhinestoned" through her Instagram. On April 29, Spotify hosted an exclusive event for celebrating Middle of Nowheres release. On May 5, Musgraves unveiled an exclusive edition through iTunes and her website, featuring two additional bonus tracks—her version of "All My Exes", and "Caballero". That day, she went to Walmart dressed as an armadillo to further promote the album.
Singles and music video Musgraves released Middle of Nowhere lead single, "Dry Spell", on March 11, 2026. Its music video was directed by Hannah Lux Davis and premiered on the same day; it takes place in a grocery store where Musgraves fantasizes about one of the employees. The single peaked at number 55 on the US Billboard Hot 100 as well as number 15 on the US Hot Country Songs chart. Released as the second single on April 17 ahead of Musgraves's Coachella performance, the title track "Middle of Nowhere" reached number 32 on the US Hot Country Songs chart.
"Loneliest Girl" was serviced on May 4 to US country radio, serving as the album's third single. It peaked number 36 on the US Hot Country Songs chart. "Mexico Honey", which peaked at numbers 39 and 12 on the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs chart, respectively, was serviced to radio stations on July 10, marking Middle of Nowhere fourth single. Musgraves released its music video on July 22; directed by Running Bear (Alexa Stone and Stephen Kinihopoulos) and filmed in Mexico, the visual depicts Musgraves and her onscreen love interest on a romantic getaway, serving as a tribute to the country's scenery and the experiences that inspired the song.
Live performances and tour