Kacey Musgraves Trolls MAGA During Middle of Nowhere Tour Kickoff
Kacey Musgraves already has eight Grammys, but if there were awards given out for trolling MAGA and its acolytes, she’d clean up there too. The Texas-born singer’s Middle of Nowhere tour kickoff in Chicago last week was the perfect case study in how artfully she’s able to thrill, piss off, and offend the far right in one fell swoop.
First, she delights them by warming up the crowd with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ theme song “Thunderstruck,” covering George Strait, and donning a giant belt buckle paired with an even larger Stetson. Then, she pivots: descending from the heavens to perform “Rhinestoned” on a giant pair of disco balls—or, to be more precise, disco truck nutz—and asking for fans to donate to the local organization Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights in honor of her 38th birthday.
“It’s a wonderful organization, and they help give aid, legal aid, and money to children whose parents have been deported unfairly,” Musgraves said from the stage. “It’s not a political thing. It’s just, these kids need help.”
Predictably, the reaction from right-wing media was swift. Fox News’ Tomi Lahren questioned the premise of “unfair deportation,” while Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt remarked that “nowhere is safe from libtards. Not even country music.” MAGA influencer Vince Langman bemoaned the state of the country music industry. For context, the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights advocates for children who are separated from their parents or placed alone in government custody—a mission that aligns with the family values often championed within the genre.
Musgraves has consistently used her platform to support the Young Center and has previously highlighted the contributions of Mexican traditional sounds to country music, a move that often draws criticism from those who demonize the immigrant community. By giving the spotlight to marginalized voices, she continues to challenge the boundaries of what a country artist is expected to represent.
Musgraves knows well that poking the MAGA bear only ends up in raising more money for the causes she believes in, even if it means a few days of relentless bashing on cable news. In 2021, she raised significant funds for unhoused immigrants and Texans affected by a historic winter storm by calling out Senator Ted Cruz for his ill-timed trip to Mexico. Her “Cruzin for a bruzin” shirt campaign was a massive success for charity.
The songwriter, who recently released a line of branded lube, has been one of Fox News’ most beloved targets for years. After she urged for gun control during Lollapalooza in 2019, Fox anchor Ainsley Earhardt labeled her “the modern day Dixie Chick.” Given that 2019 was the year Musgraves won the Grammy for Album of the Year for Golden Hour, if the label was meant to imply she wins awards while making the far right miserable, then the point is well taken.
