Country-pop star Kacey Musgraves has revealed her seventh full-length album, Middle of Nowhere, set for release on May 1 via Lost Highway Records. The announcement comes with the lead single 'Dry Spell' and its accompanying music video. The album features collaborations with Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert, Billy Strings, and Gregory Alan Isakov.
Kacey Musgraves announced her new album, Middle of Nowhere, on March 11, 2026, marking her return to Lost Highway Records, the label that first signed her in 2011. The 13-track record, produced by longtime collaborators Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk, serves as the follow-up to her 2024 album Deeper Well and is described as her sixth studio album or seventh full-length, including the holiday release A Very Kacey Christmas.
The inspiration for Middle of Nowhere stems from a sign Musgraves spotted in her hometown of Golden, Texas, a small community with a population under 300. She wrote the album during an extended period of solitude after exiting the dating scene, drawing from experiences living across Texas, Tennessee, and Mexico. 'The bulk of this record was made during the longest single period of my life,' Musgraves stated. 'I found that for the first time, it actually felt incredible being alone and existing in a space not defined by anyone else. I became fascinated with the concept of liminal space, both geographical and emotional.' She added that she grew at ease with being in the 'middle of nowhere' and embraced activities like writing with early collaborators, horses, and humor.
Leading the album is the single 'Dry Spell,' a country confessional about loneliness and desire, with lyrics including 'It’s been a real long 335 days/And the last time, it wasn’t good anyway' and 'I’m so lonely/Lonely with a capital ‘H,’ if you know what I mean/I’ve been sitting on the washing machine.' The music video, co-directed by Musgraves and Hannah Lux Davis, depicts her wandering a grocery store with amorous fantasies.
Guest appearances include Willie Nelson on 'Uncertain, Texas,' Miranda Lambert on 'Horses and Divorces,' Billy Strings on 'Everybody Wants To Be a Cowboy,' and Gregory Alan Isakov on 'Coyote.' The full tracklist is: 1. Middle of Nowhere, 2. Dry Spell, 3. Back on the Wagon, 4. I Believe in Ghosts, 5. Abilene, 6. Coyote [ft. Gregory Alan Isakov], 7. Loneliest Girl, 8. Everybody Wants To Be a Cowboy [ft. Billy Strings], 9. Horses and Divorces [ft. Miranda Lambert], 10. Uncertain, Texas [ft. Willie Nelson], 11. Rhinestoned, 12. Mexico Honey, 13. Hell on Me.
This release follows Musgraves' recent achievements, including a Grammy win for Best Country Song for 'The Architect' in 2025, bringing her total to eight. In 2023, she featured on duets with Zach Bryan, Noah Kahan, and Madi Diaz. Last month, she praised Bad Bunny's 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Upon reuniting with Lost Highway, Musgraves emphasized her roots: 'I want to make it super clear that I never left... It’s always been a home base, and it’s truly where I’m sonically the most happy.'
