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Kacey Musgraves Reveals Why She Posed Nude for ‘Deeper Well’ Album Cover and Her Grandma’s Reaction
Kacey Musgraves stripped down for one version of her Deeper Well album covers and is now opening up about why she decided to bare all.
“I just randomly had this idea,” the country singer, 35, said on the Wednesday, March 20, episode of Apple Music Country’s “Today’s Country Radio with Kelleigh Bannen.” “Because it was a big, wide open green space. And I was like, ‘What if I was just really small?’ Like, in the fetal position, sort of. Into the earth. And it’s just sort of vulnerable and almost like a rebirth, I guess.”
The image features Kacey completely nude with her back to the camera. Her long, brunette locks are pulled to one side in the artistic shot, which was taken by the Texas native’s sister.
One person who didn’t quite approve of the naked photo was Kacey’s grandmother. “The naked one came up and Nana was like, ‘Gasp!’ Like she just saw a car wreck, basically,” Kacey revealed. “And she was like, ‘No!’ She was like, ‘That’s not … that’s a cover?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s one of the covers.’ And she was like, ‘Kacey, you’re a singer, not a stripper.’ And I was like, ‘Well, you know what? You can be both!’”
Kacey released Deeper Well, her sixth studio album, on March 15. “It’s a collection of songs I hold very dear to my heart,” Kacey explained after she announced the album in February. “I hope it makes a home in all of your hearts.”
When the record came out, she kept her release day message short and sweet. “Grateful to be alive and continuously inspired by life’s little mysteries and pleasures,” the “Slow Burn” singer wrote on Instagram. “Massive thanks to my team and trusted collaborators.”
Kacey’s 2018 record Golden Hour was critically acclaimed, taking home honors for Album of the Year at the ACM Awards, CMA Awards and Grammy Awards. In 2021, her album Star-Crossed was at the center of some controversy when the Recording Academy decided to label it as “pop” instead of “country” at the Grammys.
Although one of the album’s songs, “Camera Roll,” received a nomination in the Best Country Song category, Star-Crossed as a whole did not get any nominations. The lack of recognition was surprising to fans, considering Golden Hour’s previous success at the show.
“This decision from the country committee to not accept Star-Crossed into the country albums category is very inconsistent and calls into question the other agendas that were part of this decision,” the CEO of Kacey’s record label said in a letter to the Recording Academy at the time. She also added, “As a prime stakeholder in country music, I would really like to frame what’s happening in our genre right now and help you and the Grammys fully understand the importance of Kacey Musgraves to country music and why this decision is so much more than an entry point for an awards show. Taking her out of the country category actually does harm to a format struggling with change and inclusivity overall.”
