In a new interview with PEOPLE, published November 11, the eight-time Grammy winner opened up about the musical influences behind Middle of Nowhere Vol. 2: Tex Mex Tapes, her upcoming companion album arriving January 15, 2027.

And while the record itself was announced back in October, Musgraves is offering a more personal explanation of why this particular musical direction feels so natural.

Two Traditions, One Musical Language

“I have found a lot of kinship in traditional Mexican music and country music,” Musgraves told PEOPLE.

It's a connection she traces to the sounds of her Texas upbringing, where Mexican musical traditions were part of the cultural landscape rather than something discovered later in life.

For Musgraves, the similarities run deeper than geography. Country and traditional Mexican music share familiar storytelling traditions, instruments, rhythms and an affection for songs about ordinary people navigating love, loss and everything in between.

Growing up in Golden, Texas, gave her a firsthand introduction to that musical overlap. Spending time in Mexico has only strengthened her appreciation for it.

And now she's bringing those influences further into her recordings.

Four Songs Entirely in Spanish

The 16-track Tex Mex Tapes will feature four songs performed entirely in Spanish, including a new version of “Uncertain, TX” featuring the Texas-based norteño group Intocable.

The collection also includes “Tú Solo Tú,” a live recording with Mariachi Oro de América from Mexico City.

Fans have already heard two previews, “Weekend In Texas” and “Mi Tesoro,” which arrived October 23.

Together, they offer a glimpse of a project that draws from the traditions on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border while remaining unmistakably Musgraves.

Finding Her Way Back to Texas

The upcoming record follows May's Middle of Nowhere, an album that brought Musgraves back toward her country roots after years of exploring pop, folk and other musical directions.

That release also featured “Horses and Divorces,” her collaboration with Miranda Lambert, marking a reconciliation between the two Texas-born artists.

But with Tex Mex Tapes, Musgraves is turning her attention toward another connection that has been part of her musical world for years.

Rather than leaving country music behind, she's digging further into the sounds that helped shape it.

And sometimes, exploring the borders of a genre brings you right back home.