Kacey Musgraves Has Found a “Deeper Well”

Image Courtesy of Variety

By Ryn Cole

Since her last album release in 2021, Kacey Musgraves has created a brand-new musical era. Her newest album, Deeper Well, will be released on March 15 of 2024. In her Instagram post announcement, Musgraves wrote, “It’s a collection of songs I hold very dear to my heart. I hope it makes a home in all of your hearts, too.” 

Musgraves, like many artists, uses her Instagram account to tease and officially publicize her upcoming releases. On February 3, she posted a series of eight different close-up photos of a field, stirring up excitement within her fanbase that she had something up her sleeve. Sure enough, she proceeded to post meaningful captions containing new lyrics until she officially announced Deeper Well (both the album and the single).

Long awaited and much anticipated, fans are buzzing in response to this news. Her brand new single dropped on Thursday, February 9. This single, also in the album, is the title track “Deeper Well”.

“Deeper Well” mixes sounds of country ballads with peaceful guitar, and a slow pop anthem with stacked vocals, which adds a modern touch. Her lyrics follow a few different life lessons that she has learned within the last couple years. 

The first verse is about her self-reflection and newfound goal to  keep only good company in her life. Prominently, she sings, “I’m saying goodbye to the people / That I feel are real good at wasting my time,” which captures the essence of Musgraves’ new mindset. The second verse discusses her habit of frequently getting high in years past, and how she is changing her mindset to smoke less often. 

Finally, the last verse concludes with the deepest reflection. Musgraves recognized that in order to transition from childhood to adulthood, she needed to learn things for herself rather than accepting everything she was told. Each verse ends with the lines, “I found a deeper well.”

This single dropped alongside a new music video, which encapsulates some of what fans can expect from the upcoming releases. 

For starters, the settings of the video include a field, a river, mountains, and the inside of a cottage, all of which serve as odes to nature and simplicity. Floating rocks and supernatural phenomena also cover the screen, intertwined throughout shots of horses and Musgraves walking along the water. The video ends with Musgraves catching a floating ball of light and becoming the embodiment of bright light, which signifies her recent growth and enlightenment. This whimsical, trippy, magical, folklore-esque video encompasses Kacey Musgraves’ overall musical persona. 

Musgraves’ last album, star-crossed, was released after Musgraves divorced her then husband, Ruston Kelly, in 2020. 

Songs about their failing relationship and her healing process left fans feeling heartbroken for her. In an article with People Magazine, the “Golden Hour” singer said that she wants to “put it out there” in this new album, and not “hold back” despite her fear of opening up in the public eye. One can therefore expect Deeper Well to include even more vulnerable lyrics and depictions of Musgraves’ life. 

Musgraves’ announcement came just in time for a few other famous artists, namely Maggie Rogers, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift, to talk about their upcoming music as well. It seems this spring will present a wide range of powerful female-driven music. “Deeper Well” has given people a taste of Musgraves’ new style while still remaining true to her experimental country roots. Following the trajectory from the title track, this album is sure to continue to amaze fans of popular and country music alike.