Kacey Musgraves Brings Miranda Lambert Onstage for Surprise “Horses and Divorces” Duet in Austin
Kacey Musgraves gave fans in Austin, Texas, a moment to remember on October 7, 2026, when Miranda Lambert joined her onstage for a surprise performance of “Horses and Divorces.” The appearance marked another meaningful chapter in the country stars’ relationship, following years of tension that once made a collaboration between them seem unlikely.
Musgraves was headlining the Moody Center as part of her Middle of Nowhere tour, supporting her album of the same name, released in May. Among the album’s standout tracks is “Horses and Divorces,” a duet with Lambert that reflects the complicated history between the two singers and their eventual decision to move forward.
For longtime country music fans, seeing them perform together remains a significant moment. Their reconciliation has turned a once-strained relationship into an unexpected musical partnership.
The Song That Started It All
The history between Musgraves and Lambert stretches back years, with much of the tension tracing to “Mama’s Broken Heart,” a song written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, and Musgraves.
Lambert released the track as the fourth single from her 2011 album Four the Record in 2013. It became a major success, reaching No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart and eventually earning a 3× Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), representing more than 1,960,000 units moved.
Behind that success, however, was a disagreement over who would record the song.
Musgraves had hoped to use “Mama’s Broken Heart” as the lead single for her debut album. Lambert, who was already the more established artist at the time, wanted the song, and it was reportedly pitched to her without Musgraves’ knowledge.
Although Musgraves ultimately agreed to let Lambert record it, the decision was largely driven by consideration for her co-writers and the opportunities the song could offer them. Musgraves also contributed background vocals to the finished recording.
Still, giving up a song she had wanted for her own debut created resentment that lingered for years.
A Feud That Played Out in the Country Music Spotlight
The tension between the singers also became part of country music’s wider public conversation, particularly after the 2013 CMA Awards.
That year, Lambert won Female Vocalist of the Year, a category in which Musgraves was also nominated. Musgraves, meanwhile, took home the New Artist of the Year award. Both artists were also nominated for Single of the Year and Song of the Year for “Mama’s Broken Heart.”
The awards season added another memorable chapter to their complicated history, helping fuel online discussion about the relationship between the two artists.
Yet their connection went back much further than their professional disagreement. Musgraves and Lambert had known each other since 2000, having grown up in neighboring areas and developed an interest in music at a young age.
The conflict was genuine, as Musgraves later made clear when she described their years-long feud as “grade A, grass-fed.” Her choice of words underscored just how real the tension had been.
That history also gives “Horses and Divorces” added significance. The collaboration grew out of an actual relationship and years of unresolved friction, rather than a manufactured storyline designed to attract attention.