Kacey Musgraves has her way with a timeless style

Mention country music around people who don’t know much about it and they’re likely to start spouting patronizing “good ol’ boy” stereotypes or mutter darkly about the Confederate flag. It’s the type of ignorance that country songwriter Bob McDill addressed in “Gone Country,” a Billboard Country Singles Chart-topping hit for Alan Jackson, in the verse where a New York City folk-rocker who writes songs “speaking out against wealth and privilege” tells a friend “I hear down there, it’s changed you see, they’re not as backward as they used to be.”

So much for stereotypes. Kacey Musgraves has two Grammy Awards in country music categories — her first album for major label Mercury Nashville, “Same Trailer Different Park,” won Best Country Album, and her first single for the label, “Merry Go ‘Round,” won Best Country Song” in 2014. So she certainly seems to count as “country,” but she challenges old-time categories.

“I wouldn’t say that the term ‘country’ necessarily describes what my music is, and I honestly don’t know how to describe what my music is,” Musgraves said, calling from California where she was wrapping up a series of dates opening for One Direction alumna Harry Styles. “There are definite country influences and country aspects to it but there’s also other aspects of pop too. I guess you could say ‘country pop,’ but the new record is kind of equal part ’70s country meets sometimes electronic in places, pop in places and a ’90s alt feel.”

She was referring “Golden Hour,” her latest album, which was officially released at the end of March. Fans can expect to hear many of its songs when Musgraves plays her first concert in Hawaii — as a headliner in her own right — Friday at The Republik.

“I’ve been on an opening spot for this whole year so I think Hawaii will be one of the headlining shows that I’ll be doing. I have a lot of new songs to play so it’ll be really fresh.”

“I think I’ll have a few days off, which will be really exciting and much needed after the summer and spring of really intense (touring),” she said, adding that traditional Hawaiian steel guitar instrumentals are her go-to when she wants to relax. That makes Honolulu more than just another place with good weather and beaches.

“I love bringing country music to Hawaii because it feels like kindred spirits.”

New country or old country — she’s mentioned Lee Ann Womack, John Prine, Alison Krauss, Glen Campbell, Marty Robbins, Charlie Pride as some of the artists who inspired her — Musgraves said one of the things she likes best is that “it’s a story-telling genre.”

”Its a genre full of songs about real life and sometimes things that aren’t easy to talk about about. It encompasses all the parts of living as a human being (and) it’s definitely a very heartfelt genre. Most modern country doesn’t really represent that side of the genre, but if you look back into the roots of the genre and the things that really inspired me you’ll find that.”

“I feel that I’m doing my job as a song writer taking things that I’m very inspired by or affected by and putting them to music. Those thoughts of mine may not be for everyone but they’re thoughts for me and whoever enjoys them.”

Musgraves wrote her first song at age 8. Her first instrument was mandolin, next came guitar. At 18 she got into the music business as a demo singer and two years later she was signed by an indie record label.

Mercury Nashville signed her in 2012. “Merry Go ‘Round” was released as her first single only because she fought for it.

The song is a somewhat sordid look at small town life in the American heartland that was inspired in part by Musgraves’ experiences growing up in eastern Texas. She said the story about the label not liking the song isn’t entirely true but the label executives felt the subject was too depressing and the song too “down-tempo” for a new female country artist to release as her first single.

“I said ‘I don’t care, at least I’ll be going down in flames for something that I actually have belief and heart in,’” Musgraves reminisced. “It still to this day is my most successfully charting song.”

When “Merry Go ‘Round” won a Grammy many saw the win as an upset. Among the songs “Merry Go ‘Round” beat was Taylor Swift’s highly acclaimed composition, “Begin Again.” Similarly, Musgraves’ Grammy-winning album, “Same Trailer Different Park,” eclipsed albums by country music veterans Swift, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and Tim McGraw.

Musgraves remembers the night as vindication.

“(The song) was inspired by where I came from, and it just kind of proved to me that you only know what’s best for yourself and how you truly connect with your audience. (Releasing it as the first single) made me feel really good that I knew that that’s the song people connected to most and it should be the first thing that I say to the world. Then for it to win just made me feel that I am connected.

”I definitely do not create music with aim to win awards but when you are recognized for your craft, especially by the most prestigious possible academy, it’s really gratifying. There’s so much good music out there that for you to be chosen as something that was the best of an entire year is a very huge compliment, and the fact that it was ‘Merry Go ‘Round’ made it undeniably special because that song had a lot of odds stacked up against it.”

Anyone discovering Musgraves’ writing with the new album will enjoy her knack for dismissive phrases. On “Space Cowboy” she tells an unsatisfactory man that “you can have your space, cowboy.” With “High Horse” she dismisses a loser who “kills the buzz” every time he opens his mouth with the suggestion that he “ride straight out of this town/You and your high horse.”

“I love word play, and I love humor thrown into things. I really love turning a phrase on its head,” Musgraves said, explaining the phrase “space cowboy” came to her one day while she was on a treadmill and that the concept of “space, cowboy” came later. “High Horse” was another idea for a song title that developed into a song.

“I don’t know exactly how to write it but I wanted to say something like a message to someone — male, female, whoever — who’s trying to kill your vibe: ‘You’ve got a long way to fall off that high horse.’”

Musgraves’ fans know that she’ll be celebrating her 30th birthday Aug. 21 (Her husband, singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly, hits that milestone later this month and will be joining her here). Weighing her feelings about reaching an age some dread and others find to be no big deal, she anticipates her 30th birthday will be a “nice reflective time.”

“It’s is a little sad to think about your twenties being over but at the same time I’ve loving where I’m at more than I ever have, so why does it really matter? I do think it’s different for women in a lot of ways, but I think it’s a viewpoint (and) a chance to take a step back and really look at everything. Am I where I want to be? What do I still want to do? What’s important to me know versus what was important to me 10 years ago? Do I want kids?”

Looking five years into the future she hopes to have released another album “that I’m really proud of, continue to push myself musically towards new paths and stay inspired (and) maybe start a family.”

And, if dreams can come true, she’ll own a Tiki bar in Nashville that will showcase the sound of the traditional Hawaiian steel guitar.

“It’s kind of a pipe dream,” she said, “but I love the vibe so much.”