Kacey Musgraves is in a dry spell… and it’s also the title to the lead single from her forthcoming sixth studio album Middle of Nowhere, which was announced today and produced by Kacey alongside longtime collaborators Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk. “Dry Spell” was written by Kacey with longtime collaborators Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne, and it’s a hilarious song full of innuendo that made me giggle more than once when I listened to it the first time. The girl has had a “real long 335” days, and she’s resorted to “sitting on the washing machine”: “It’s been a real long three-hundred and thirty-five days And the last time, it wasn’t good anyway I’m so lonely, lonely with a capital ‘H’ If you know what I mean, I’ve been sitting on the washing machine Ain’t nobody’s tool up in my shed Ain’t nobody’s boots under my bed Ain’t nobody’s truck up in my drive For a late night call, for a real good time Ain’t no new notches on my belt And I’m tired of keepin’ my hands to myself 911, it’s officially a cry for help Y’all, I’m going through a dry spell, yep” I mean, some may clutch their pearls, and that’s totally fine, but I have to laugh because the writing is so smart and clever, which is something I can always count on with Kacey and love about her as an artist. Of course, this kind of subject matter isn’t new in country music, but it is less common for female artists in this context, and in speaking with NPR Music’s Jewly Hight, Kacey explained that it came from a very real place. She went through the longest period of her adult life being single, and up until that point, she had feared being alone in every aspect, but she found it to be liberating in many ways: “I typically always have been in relationships. This was the longest period in my adult life where I was on my own, and I had gone through a break up. I was taking stock of my relationships and what I want[ed] in my life, and really learning how to lean into being alone. I started really loving my singledom. It was a long time without any intimacy with anyone else, and I had always feared that before I experienced it, just having this notion that I needed someone to be happy, which I found to be completely untrue.” She wrote “Dry Spell” because it was exactly what she was going through, and she knew the aforementioned Shane, Josh and Luke would totally get the humor angle of the song. Kacey explained that the human condition in and of itself is funny, I think we all know that all too well, and of course, incorporating humor into her music is something she does very well: “I find the human condition pretty hilarious. I feel like the universe has a pretty killer sense of humor, so I just find a lot of humor in the everyday. One of my all-time favorite writers did it best: John Prine. I can be quite introspective and maybe heady or whatever, but I really love anchoring something with that [sense of humor]. I feel like we need to laugh more in this modern crazy time.” While listening to her talk about her “dry spell” and being lonely is funny and entertaining, Kacey also learned a lot about her independence and who she is alone, and has a completely different kind of “confidence” and “clarity” because of it. Reporter Jewly Hight also pointed out that she couldn’t think of any other country songs where there’s a “woman writing about thirstiness, desire, without even mentioning a male protagonist,” “No, I don’t think so. I think a lot of songs, people are trying to convince you of how sexy they are, and I’m telling you how I have not been getting any. Even the chickens are getting laid, and I’m not.” Whether or not her “dry spell” is over is none of my business, but I think it’s a fun track and at least she got a good song, and a newfound confidence, out of the whole experience… I can’t wait to hear the entire 13-song album, which also includes features from Willie Nelson, Billy Strings, Gregory Alan Isakov and Mrs. Miranda Lambert herself. Middle of Nowhere is due out everywhere on May 1st: View this post on Instagram The music video for “Dry Spell” is not subtle, but it is really funny, and you can watch it here: Middle of Nowhere Tracklist: 1.Middle of Nowhere 2.Dry Spell 3.Back on the Wagon 4.I Believe in Ghosts 5.Abilene 6.Coyote feat. Gregory Alan Isakov 7.Loneliest Girl 8.Everybody Wants To Be a Cowboy feat. Billy Strings 9.Horses and Divorces feat. Miranda Lambert 10.Uncertain, Texas feat. Willie Nelson 11.Rhinestoned 12.Mexico Honey 13.Hell on MeThe post Kacey Musgraves Says “Dry Spell” Was Inspired By The Longest Period Of Her Adult Life Being Single: “I Had Always Feared That Before I Experienced It” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.