Despite their outward differences, it\u2019s not hard to note the similarities between Kacey Musgraves and Taylor Swift.<\/p>\n
Musgraves, who will headline The Sylvee on Feb. 1<\/a>, is a country star in the midst of a major pop crossover. Her 2018 LP Golden Hour <\/em>is up for Album of the Year at next month\u2019s Grammys, and for good reason. Like Swift, who shattered pop country\u2019s mold with 1989<\/em>, Musgraves pushed boundaries with the spacey, disco-flecked Golden Hour<\/em>. But that\u2019s about where the similarities end.<\/p>\n Swift is an unabashed populist, more of a brand than an artist. But Musgraves bleeds authenticity. She\u2019s politically outspoken, sounding off on decidedly un-country topics like queer issues and marijuana \u2014 sometimes in the same song<\/a>. And Musgraves is also savvy enough to know not to beat you over the head with politics. In fact, she intended Golden Hour <\/em>to be something of a reprieve from a world she calls \u201cincreasingly hostile and politicized.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was like, \u2018Dude, everyone has a soap box these days\u2019,\u201d the 30-year-old recently told The Independent<\/em><\/a>.<\/em> \u201cEveryone has their opinion. I mean, they\u2019re flying at everyone at hyper speed, and it\u2019s numbing and overwhelming at the same time. Let\u2019s just give something to people that is beautiful and truthful and feels hopeful.\u201d<\/p>\n