With the March 30 release of her Golden Hour album right around the corner, Kacey Musgraves used recent appearances on The Breakers tour with Little Big Town and Midland as a means to introduce new songs.
Videos by Wide Open Country
"Velvet Elvis" is among the forthcoming album tracks popping up on Musgraves' set lists. As shown in this snippet from a recent stop at Radio City Music Hall, the song shows flashes of those expected pop influences. When the album's title was first announced, Musgraves listed the Bee Gees and Sade as musical reference points. While she's not going pop at the same rate as Maren Morris, Musgraves toys with a different sort of vibe here. The piano accompaniment in particular sounds like something inspired by the beloved country traditionalists' pop pal, Katy Perry.
READ MORE: Kacey Musgraves Has a Hit on Her Hands With New Song 'Space Cowboy'
Subtle pop reference points don't drown out Musgraves' expected upholding of classic country tropes. After all, she likens her ideal partner to one of those delightfully tacky black velvet Elvis paintings. It's a comparison only country folks will get. Maybe those remind her of dates spent looking for vintage treasures with the Elvis to her Priscilla, Ruston Kelly? Regardless, the song shows Musgraves' willingness to go against the grain creatively while creating something that sounds comfortably familiar.
Other new songs on the set list include lead singles "Space Cowboy" and "Butterflies" and future album cut "Wonder Woman."
