#SoloSongs: “Loneliest Girl”

‍#SoloSongs is our feature in which we highlight songs that show the joys and struggles of being independent.

County music is often about broken hearts, and Kacey Musgraves has always upended the conservative genre’s traditions in her 13-year career. She’s carved a niche with fun wordplay and lyrics that take a different perspective, such as “Follow Your Arrow.”

“Loneliest Girl,” one of the tracks on her newest CD, “Middle of Nowhere,” is another unconventional track in her great career.

The narrator has broken up with her boyfriend. She’s a little bittersweet — sad, but also pragmatic.

She talks about the things she doesn’t have to do – awkward conversations, liking his friends and his mama, and dealing with his drama and childhood trauma. We told you she’s good at wordplay.

The narrator knows that going out into the world can be a tease. It promises good times that you can post on your Instagram grid, but sometimes that’s an illusion. Those moments are filled with its own kind of anxiety.

“If I’m only doing it for company, I’d rather be the loneliest girl in the world,” Musgraves sings.

The narrator is comfortable with who she is right now, even if there is a trace of melancholy to her voice. (For a raunchier take on single life, listen to “Dry Spell.”) As she did with “Follow Your Arrow,” Musgraves lets the listener know it’s OK to be yourself.

As the chorus says, “I’m happy to be the loneliest girl in the world.”