Watch now: Kacey Musgraves appreciates being recognized for *her* version of country music

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ABC/Randy HolmesKacey Musgraves is nominated for Album of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year going into Wednesday’s CMA Awards.  Kacey’s album Golden Hour has been one of the most universally acclaimed releases of the year, but it’s not exactly what you’d call a “country” album. That’s why Kacey says she’s so honored to have been nominated.

“For my version of country music to be recognized is really meaningful to me because I love where the genre came from,” Kacey tells ABC Radio. “And to be able to be someone that’s recognized in modern country, I mean, that’s a goal for me. Y’know, I love country music. So it’s really cool.”

Kacey says that Golden Hour is different from her other releases because it’s her “most personal record yet.”

“I don’t think I’ve really let people in on an emotional scale this way very much,” she explains. “I’ve never really talked much about my feelings, and falling in love, and meeting the right person, and talking about my flaws, and being lonely, coming off the road and missing my mom…I’ve never had songs like that. And it was really nice.”

As for the Female Vocalist category, Kacey hates to think that that she’s competing with Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Carrie Underwood and Kelsea Ballerini to find out who’s “better.”

“Awards shows are silly because no one’s ‘better’ than the other,” she says. “That’s not what music is about. Art is very subjective…everyone’s different and that’s what’s cool about it…everyone’s obviously winning and doing her own thing!”

That being said, Kacey admits that she doesn’t actually consider herself to be “much of a vocalist” — so, she says, “To be in a category with some really great singers is a big compliment.”

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