Miranda Lambert + Kacey Musgraves’ Feud Explained

Kacey Musgraves says her “grass-fed, Grade A” feud with Miranda Lambert has ended, but what were these two country women fighting over in the first place?

What Is the New Duet From Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert?

A new duet called “Horses and Divorces” mopped up the bad blood between the proud Texans.

Lambert and Musgraves wrote the song with Shane McAnally, a songwriter/producer/friend who has been caught in the middle of this mess for more than a decade.

READ MORE: 20 Feuds Country Music Fans Still Argue About

“It was a plot twist that even I did not see coming,” Musgraves tells Variety about mending fences with Lambert.

“We talked about everything, and we’re both older now and have less energy for dumb s–t. I don’t love having weirdness with anyone out there.”

Why Were Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves Fighting?

Lambert and Musgraves’ feud was one of those things country insiders knew about that never surfaced in a tangible way tabloids could feast on. The lyrics to “Horses and Divorces” speak to that.

“You know that I’ve said some things about you,” Musgraves sings to start the song before Lambert answers with “And I’ve done my fair share of s–t talkin’, too.”

If that’s true, their words never percolated. All fans were left with was one unfortunate CMA candid of Musgraves reacting to Lambert trying to build a bridge.

In 2013, the more senior of the two singers took Female Vocalist of the Year and during her acceptance speech, she (somewhat dryly) offered an olive branch to Musgraves (more on why in a moment).

“East Texas girls gotta stick together,” she said.

Musgraves looked less than enthused:

After the show, Musgraves said she reached out to Lambert and they both laughed about it.

“As a new artist, I’m still getting used to cameras being on me 24/7,” Musgraves told Rolling Stone. “And there’s no way you can be caught smiling at all times. If you know me, sometimes when I’m just sitting there, it looks like I’m not having a good time, but I am!”

This may all be true, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t thinking what everyone thought she was thinking at the time.

The Fight Over “Mama’s Broken Heart”

Viewers thought that glare may have been over Lambert’s 2013 hit, “Mama’s Broken Heart.”

Musgraves co-wrote the song but — as she’d tell NPR in 2026 — it was pitched to Lambert without her knowledge and consent.

You know what happened after that. “Mama’s Broken Heart” was a huge hit for Lambert, leaving Musgraves scrambling a bit to find a single to pin her debut album. In the end, it all worked out fine, but things were tense.

“We’d lost touch for years and wouldn’t consider each other friends,” she tells NPR.

“Merry Go Round” became Musgraves’ debut single instead, and it launched her on a path that’s included Grammys for seemingly every album she releases, and her own sold-out arena tours.

Hard feelings come about easier than they’re blown away, however.

This situation is hardly unique.

Sam Hunt wrote and recorded “Cop Car” only to have Keith Urban make it a hit. In a long-since deleted tweet, he sai, (via Music Times), “I worked hard on ‘Cop Car.’ Everything I poured into that song was stolen from me. I unfortunately can’t celebrate it being on The Grammys.”

Are Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert Friends?

The two women say the feud has ended, but friends? No one is going that far.

“Horses and Divorces” actually says they are not friends, but perhaps spending time together has brought them closer.

“In our writing session, Miranda said, ‘Hey, I wouldn’t have the career that I have without that song, and I’m really grateful for it,'” Musgraves recalls. “So it was very full circle.”

Took long enough.