Kacey Musgraves is back with new music and an unexpected reconciliation: she says she and Miranda Lambert worked through an old songwriting dispute as Musgraves prepares to release her sixth album, Middle of Nowhere, on May 1, 2026.

What happened — the album and the outreach

On March 11, 2026, Musgraves released the first single from the record, “Dry Spell,” and confirmed the full album will arrive May 1 via Lost Highway Records. The 13-track LP includes collaborations with Miranda Lambert, Willie Nelson, Billy Strings and Gregory Alan Isakov.

How the Miranda Lambert story unfolded

Musgraves told NPR that years earlier a song she loved, “Mama’s Broken Heart,” was pitched to Lambert “without my knowledge or consent.” She said the track “was gonna be my first single” and that Lambert “ended up loving the song and she really wanted it.” Lambert’s version hit No. 1, and Musgraves says the setback forced her to write “Merry Go Round,” which ultimately made more sense as her debut.

Years later, Musgraves saw Lambert riding horses on Instagram and decided to reach out. “We ain’t friends, but I guess we have two things in common, horses and divorces,” she told NPR, adding that she invited Lambert to write on a new, humorous duet. The pair reportedly “aired out any of the old laundry” and wrote the collaboration — titled “Horses and Divorces” — in a few hours.

New music: “Dry Spell” and the album’s themes

“Dry Spell,” released in March, is a frank country confessional that Musgraves co-directed on video with Hannah Lux Davis. The song includes line-driven honesty — “It’s been a real long 335 days/And the last time, it wasn’t good anyway” — and sets a candid tone for the record.

Musgraves says the album “was made during the longest single period of my life.” In a statement she described being “at ease with being in the ‘middle of nowhere'” and exploring liminal emotional spaces, horses, humor and writing with early collaborators again.

Production and collaborators

  • Produced with Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk, longtime collaborators.
  • Label: Lost Highway — the company that first signed her in 2011.
  • Notable tracks: “Middle of Nowhere,” “Dry Spell,” “Horses and Divorces” (feat. Miranda Lambert), “Uncertain, Texas” (feat. Willie Nelson), and “Everybody Wants to Be a Cowboy” (feat. Billy Strings).

Why this matters now

Musgraves’ return marks a clear artistic chapter: a record born from post-breakup clarity and a prolonged single life that she says helped redefine her songwriting. The Lambert collaboration — moving from an old songwriting spat to a co-written duet — adds emotional and narrative weight to the release.

Fan and industry reaction

Musgraves is an eight-time Grammy winner whose work, from Same Trailer, Different Park to Golden Hour, has shaped contemporary country-pop. “Middle of Nowhere” reunites her with Lost Highway and a roster of respected peers, signaling a move that industry observers expect will draw both country and crossover attention when the album drops May 1.

What to expect next

Middle of Nowhere is set for release May 1, 2026. Fans can hear “Dry Spell” now and watch the Musgraves-directed video. Given the record’s collaborators and the narrative of reconciliation with Lambert, the album rollout may include further singles, performances and interviews ahead of the spring release.