In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Kacey Musgraves opened up about her divorce from fellow singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly, explaining that their marriage "just simply didn't work out."
"It's nothing more than that. It's two people who love each other so much, but for so many reasons, it just didn't work," Musgraves said. "I mean, seasons change. Our season changed."
Musgraves also explained that while she embraced marriage during her relationship, she partially questions "marriage as a whole, in general."
"I mean, I was open to it when it came into my life. I embraced it," Musgraves said. "I just have to tell myself I was brave to follow through on those feelings. But look at Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. They're doing something right."
Musgraves and Kelly announced their divorce last year in a joint statement.
"With heavy but hopeful hearts we wanted to put our own thoughts into the air about what's happening. These kinds of announcements are always met with scrutiny and speculation and we want to stop that before it even starts. We believe that we were put into each other's lives for a divine reason and have both changed each other infinitely for the better. The love we have for each other goes far beyond the relationship we've shared as husband and wife. It's a soul connection that can never be erased," the joint statement read. "We've made this painful decision together — a healthy decision that comes after a very long period of trying the best we can. It simply just didn't work. Though we are parting ways in marriage, we will remain true friends for the rest of our lives. We hold no blame, anger, or contempt for each other and we ask for privacy and positive wishes for us both as we learn how to navigate through this,"
Their Love Story
The Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter met Kelly when she decided to go to the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville to support a friend back in March 2016, which was pretty out of character for her because Musgraves tended to avoid the touristy crowds that flock to the iconic country music venue. But it seemed like destiny as soon as she heard Kelly perform on stage.
"Ruston played his first song, and I was just stunned by everything in it—the words, the melody, what he was saying," the country star told HITS Daily Double in 2018. "I was just sitting at this table, crying. When it was over, I went up and introduced myself. I said, "Hey, I don't really ever do this, but here's my number; I really wanna write with you."
Kelly told Texas Monthly that he was also immediately taken with Musgraves.
"She was wearing a black dress, and of course she had that long black hair," recalls Kelly. "I thought, 'This is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.'?"
By this time in her career, Musgraves had already released two albums — Same Trailer Different Park and Pageant Material. A few months after meeting, she invited Kelly over for a songwriting session since she was working on Golden Hour. The two immediately clicked, and he stayed at her house chatting until 3 a.m. It was falling in love that made everything change for her upcoming album. Musgraves had never written anything like the love songs that started pouring out of her.
"It was just like when Dorothy opens a door in the Wizard of Oz, and the world turns into color from black and white," she told Texas Monthly.
"That whole time period was a big opening of heart for me," Musgraves told Glamour.
"I started to see the world in a more fond, pretty light. After meeting this person who really allows me to just be myself, not have to walk on eggshells for any reason, songs started pouring out."
On Christmas Eve 2016, Kelly proposed in Musgraves's childhood bedroom, which he had decorated with vintage decorations. Henry Mancini's "Two for the Road" was playing in the background. The song would also play for their first dance at their Nashville, Tennessee wedding on October 14, 2017. In a since-deleted Instagram post, Musgraves shared that she married her best friend.
"I married my best friend ... barefoot and surrounded by the deepest kind of magic and love that exists. I've never felt so tranquil and happy," she wrote.
"We made our promises to each other under the trees and then drank and danced into the night. We couldn't have done any of it without the help of our wonderful families and amazing friends. The best kind of magic. Best day of my life,"
It's clear what can happen when you open your heart to someone and share those feelings with the world. Golden Hour went on to win Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the Grammys as well as Album of the Year at the ACM Awards and Music Video of the Year at the CMA Awards for "Rainbow."
Kelly released his own album, Dying Star, in 2018, inspired by his struggles with addiction, in 2015. He told Rolling Stone that his wife helped him move on from that experience and fully heal.
"She was such a strong redemptive force in my life," he said. "I didn't think I was worthy of anything. She reminded me that it doesn't matter, that everyone has a past. Someone has to help pick you up somehow."
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