Kacey Musgraves Reveals How Psychedelics Influenced ‘Golden Hour’ Album

Kacey Musgraves has earned rave reviews for her latest album, Golden Hour. The 13-track record, co-written entirely by Musgraves, was influenced by many things, including her new husband, Ruston Kelly, her Texas upbringing, and her use of psychedelic drugs.

“I would never suggest anything, for anyone that isn’t right for them,” Musgraves shared with PopCulture.com at a recent media event. “And when handled appropriately and responsibly, I have personally found that psychedelics have given me a really positive perspective on not only the earth, but my family and myself as a being in this universe. We’re grains of sand, and we’re nothing but we’re everything at the same time, and that can really put your ego into check in a good way. I think like we should all have that every now and then.

“But really it’s just a chance to step outside of your own perspective and not sweat the small stuff and get inspired by other things,” she continued. “The times that I’ve experienced that haven’t been astronomically high, you know, but the handful of times that I have done that, I’ve always walked away with really enlightening experiences that have not only helped my music, but have helped me be a better a person.”

One particular song on Golden Hour, “Mother,” was influenced by something Musgraves experienced while using psychedelics.

“One night at the house, my husband and I decided to go on a little adventure together,” Musgraves recalled. “And it wasn’t wild or anything, but it did make me really nostalgic for past, present, future and like my family. I just started thinking about all this crazy hurt that’s going on in the world, just everywhere and for what reason. And it was just really heavy, and I was missing my mom at the same time. Weirdly she texted me at that moment. It just made me really emotional.”

The song, which says in part, “Bursting with empathy, I’m feeling everything / The weight of the world on my shoulders / Hope my tears don’t freak you out / They’re just kinda coming out / It’s the music in me and all of the colors,” was started after her mother sent Musgraves a picture, of her hands, to show Musgraves that she had stopped biting her nails.

“I just started thinking like about my mom’s hands, and the fact that she’s created all this beautiful art,” Musgraves said. “She’s held me with these hands. You recognize your mom’s hands more than anyone’s. Mine even look like hers. We have the same handwriting. I started thinking about the cycle of mothers and the fact that I was sitting there in Tennessee missing my mom who was sitting there in Texas missing her mom, and it just goes on and on.”

Purchase Golden Hour on Amazon and iTunes.

Photo Credit: Getty/ Jeff Kravitz/ACMA2019