Pageants, PLUS Biscuits, and Her New Album TOP SALONS EIGHT READER PICKS KACEY PAGE 79 FAMILY TRAVEL MUSGRAVES THREE SUMMER GETAWAYS! PAGE 90 48 Reasons WE LOVE DOWNTOWN June 2015 nashvillelifestyles.com 06.15 NL Cover_Final.indd 2 5/13/15 5:00 PM Beauty Queen Country music’s edgiest female artist is back to push the boundaries with her sophomore album. BY KRISTIN LUNA PHOTOS BY KELLY CHRISTINE SUTTON 62 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM JUNEAPRIL 2015 2015 06.15-NL_50-65.indd 62 5/13/15 1:13 PM f you didn’t know any better, you might think the title of Kacey Musgraves’ new album, Pageant Material, is meant to be taken literally. After all, the 26-year-old Isinger-songwriter grew up in the world of high hair and tiaras, deep in the heart of rural Texas where the Sweet Potato Festival was the biggest source of excitement each year in her hometown of Golden. It’s not hard to believe she could easily have been that girl we all wanted to be in high school: pretty as a prom queen, long chestnut locks cascading in perfect waves over her sequined at- tire, a pair of signature cowboy boots offsetting snug-fitting cutoffs, the lethal combination of old country twang, progressive Gen Y ideals, and sharp-witted lyrics a fitting complement to her moxie. But all of those physical attributes, true as they might be, are not what Musgraves wants you to be thinking about when queuing up the title track on her new record out June 23. “It was one of the last songs that we wrote for this album, but after sitting on it for a while, I “I like the message of the song. It’s basically saying: ‘I’m not a robot and thought it would be a good direction to take the I’m not pageant perfect, but I’m okay with who I am. I’d rather go down in whole record,” she says. “Aesthetically, I thought flames for who I really am than win a crown for being something I’m not.’” it would make for something unique, and I like the message of the song. It’s basically saying: ‘I’m joints. And Nashville hung on her every word. and-true tribe from the more of-the-moment fans not a robot and I’m not pageant perfect, but I’m Warner/Chappell eventually snatched her up, and who may simply find an occasional line in one of okay with who I am. I’d rather go down in flames she later signed with Lost Highway Records be- her songs catchy. for who I really am than win a crown for being fore transitioning to Mercury Nashville when the “She is 100 percent genuine. Everything hap- something I’m not.’” label was dissolved. pens organically with her,” says songwriter Shane Musgraves was never an actual pageant queen From the time Musgraves debuted “Merry Go McAnally, co-producer of both Same Trailer and either. She “retired” from that circuit—“my parents ’Round” at Nashville’s annual Country Radio Pageant Material. “She doesn’t do things for the said it was just too damn expensive,” she laughs— Seminar in 2013, critics raved about the genre’s sake of doing them. She has very little desire to after competing in the Little Miss Tater Tot when brazen new darling who didn’t fit the mold of be famous, and her actions are so about the music she was only three years old. (She lost.) the traditional guitar-wielding women of coun- that at times it can be daunting because we’re so Aesthetics aside, Musgraves’ real beauty lies try. And the accolades followed suit: Musgraves used to people wanting to have hits and worrying in her self-assurance, the rare ability of knowing has already racked up a pair each of Grammy and about the limelight. That’s secondary for her— exactly what kind of artist she is while simulta- CMA awards despite having only one album on rather, it’s about getting the music right.” neously not letting any one person, producer, or a major label and no number one hits (though Take her writing process, for example. Mus- label compromise that identity. Despite still being Same Trailer Different Park did debut at the num- graves, McAnally, co-producer Luke Laird, and relatively young for a songwriter, she’s already be- ber one position on Billboard’s Top County Al- their posse of writers—Natalie Hemby, Ashley come a role model for female artists, rookies, and bums chart). Arrison, Josh Osborne, and Brandy Clark—had veterans alike, particularly Since her launch onto the been penning songs together for the better part in an age when women— scene, Musgraves has been known of five years since shortly after she made her big Musgraves included—are to push buttons—she speaks out move to Music City; several of the tracks on Pag- getting little radio play. She for gay rights and boldly declares eant Material were written in their early days as was heavily courted by pub- that she believes more in karma a unit and are just finally seeing the light of day. lishers when she showed up than a single deity; she also shares McAnally says it’s tough to distinguish the time- to town six years ago, a then that the alignment of the planets line between the two albums. Musgraves’ latest 20-year-old who had placed has affected more than one busi- single, “Biscuits,” was actually conceived at the just seventh on season five ness decision—and she’s admit- same time as her runaway 2013 hit “Follow Your of Nashville Star and un- ted in the past that many of her Arrow.” The other half of the tracks—like “Some- abashedly sang about rolling tactics aim to weed out her tried- body to Love” and “Family”—were born >>> THE TENNESSEAN JUNE 2015 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM 63 06.15-NL_50-65.indd 63 5/13/15 1:13 PM NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM JUNE 2015 6464 NASHVILLELIFESTYLES.COM JUNE 2015 06.15-NL_50-65.indd 64 5/11/15 10:53 PM from a writing retreat a month before recording “I am the biggest fan of country music in the started last December. This could explain why the world,” she says, citing some of her influences as new disc feels like a continuation of the first. Nelson and John Prine (about whom she’s writ- “I think ‘Biscuits’ could live on both [Same ten a song called, well, “John Prine”). “I just love Trailer and Pageant Material],” McAnally says. it. I love the roots of country music. But more “It’s the bridge between the two, a link between than anything I love all kinds of music—anything the records.” Musgraves that feels good, that resonates would agree about this natural within me. I’m influenced by so progression. many other things. I don’t think “I don’t think this is a huge it’s about staying in country or departure from Same Trailer, not; I think it’s about making but hopefully it shows a lot of music in general. But I am growth emotionally and pro- proud that I would consider my fessionally,” she says. “The last records a good representation few years have taught me a lot of country music.” about touring, where I want to Shane McAnally Musgraves wrapped her be musically, and about myself, Same Trailer tour last month in so I think that played into it. “She has her hands in time to promote Pageant Ma- I blocked off some time and all of it. Honestly, she is terial and kick off the new tour went with a bunch of writers the producer, and Luke with her second appearance at down to Texas with no theme [Laird] and I are her Bonnaroo. She brought her sis- in mind. Really, the goal was to ter, 24-year-old photographer translators who try to just write good songs.” Kelly Christine Sutton, into stay organized and help That dedication to the qual- the fold once more to shoot ity of her craft is what has so with the process, but the album art and design the many writers clamoring to ultimately we’re editing corresponding visual material. work with Musgraves. Take for her. She is the person And she’s also been busy part- Pageant Material as a whole: who hears in her head the nering with Zodiac Vodka, McAnally says that while a way she wants collaborating on a secret project number of creative brains may it to be.” —Shane with Disney, and developing a have helped the album come McAnally new line of boots for Lucchese, to fruition, it’s ultimately the a company hailing from her Musgraves show. home state. In keeping with her brand, she di- “She has her hands in all of it,” he says. “Hon- vulges, there will even be a light-up pair. estly, she is the producer, and Luke and I are her “It’s kind of like a dream come true—cowboy translators who try to stay organized and help with boots, vodka, music. I love designing and shaping the process, but ultimately we’re editing for her. something,” she says. “I’m trying not to get too She is the person who hears in her head the way overloaded but still having fun with other things she wants it to be, and we’re just along for the that keep my interest. At some point, I think it ride—and lucky to be.” would be fun to do a concept record.