Kacey Musgraves Is My Spirit Animal

Kacey Musgraves is one of my favorite country musicians. I not only love her music, I also love how she presents herself as a person. She is unapologetically herself and I admire that. She is beautiful and has as sense of style that is all her own. She likes to give old school country fashion a modern twist which is something she does with her music as well. Kacey is not one to be put in a box or be told how she should do something. She is a strong woman that believes in herself and is living her purpose. Her fans adore her and she treats them with kindness and compassion. Kacey is just all around amazing.
Kacey recently announced that her new album Pageant Material will be released June 23rd. What's interesting about the album is that the musicians set up and tracked everything in the same room together. This will give the music a more classic sound. I think this is great because the songs that Kacey writes and performs to tend to have a classic tone to them. Many of the lyrics have more modern content but are conveyed in an old school way. A lot of the recent country music being produced can be more closely compared to pop and hip hop music than in previous decades. New artists often bring in elements of other music styles and are creating songs that appeal to a wider fan base. What I like about Kacey is that she is essentially doing the opposite. She is staying true to herself and the current atmosphere but she is using classic country elements within her music. She is breathing life into country music and staying true to its roots. I think there are many people that listen to country music today that aren't aware of how it used to be. They have never heard of Loretta Lynn or Buck Owens. But I think Kacey is giving the newer generations a taste of classic country music but with a modern twist.
Recently Kacey released a new song called Biscuits. It instantly became my new favorite song. I really love the message of the song. One of the main lines of the song is "Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy" which I think sums up the song pretty well. So often people are quick to judge others. With the invention of the Internet and social media people now have a way to post their opinions or leave a comment without worrying about the consequences. Its gotten to the point where people think that putting down others or saying a negative comment is a normal and acceptable thing. I think the world needs less negativity and more love. I think love and compassion is 10 times more powerful than a negative comment. I think its time to bring back the phrase "If you don't have something nice to say then don't say anything at all." It reminds me of another quote that I think is beautiful " Before you speak ask yourself: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?" I think many of us speak without thinking. We live in such a fast paced society and we feel the need to get things out there so quickly. I think we could benefit from slowing down and allowing there to be silence. 
I think Kacey Musgraves is a unique, intelligent, talented, beautiful, and inspirational woman. I'm thankful for contributions to the music industry. She is not only a talented performer but an amazing song writer as well. I look forward to hearing new music from her. 

Sam Hunt

Ok so lets talk Sam Hunt. I've gotta say I am addicted. His album Montevallo has been on repeat for the last few weeks. I am in love with every song on the album and that is a rare occurrence for me. Even with artists or bands that I have loved for years there is usually at least one song on the album I do not like. You cannot please everyone. But with this album I am very pleased. Sam Hunt is an amazing singer and song writer. Yes, you read that correctly, not only does he sing all the songs on the album but he wrote them as well.
So back to the album. Sam Hunt has a unique style. Some of his songs like Take Your Time and Break Up in a Small Town have this speaking/singing thing going on. It gives the song a more story telling vibe. It puts you in his point of view and allows you to view the song through that lens. It is very cool. Most of the album is very upbeat. I have spent many a morning dancing around my kitchen to these songs. There are two songs on the album that have a slower tempo. They are Make You Miss Me and Speakers. These songs tell two different stories. Make You Miss Me is about the ending of a relationship. I find it interesting because it gives the point of view of a man being left by a woman that is always moving on to the next thing. I feel that women can relate to this song because women often experience this treatment from men. It's nice to understand the experience from a man's perspective. Speakers is a personal favorite of mine. This song is pure seduction. One of the reasons I love this album so much is because most of the songs on it are about relationships. With the exception of Raised on it, every song focuses on some aspect of a relationship or dating.
I have not had the opportunity to see Sam Hunt perform live but hopefully that will change in the coming months. He is going on tour with Hunter Hayes and Lady Antebellum. I have seen a few videos and I think he will be amazing to see live. He seems to be very energetic and good at engaging the crowd. I look forward to experiencing it for myself.