Kacey Musgraves and husband Ruston Kelly have filed for divorce. The musicians, both 31, made the “painful decision” together, according to a statement released to 360aproko on Friday.
“With heavy but hopeful hearts we wanted to put our own thoughts into the air about what’s happening,” the statement reads. “These kinds of announcements are always met with scrutiny and speculation and we want to stop that before it even starts.”
“We believe that we were put into each other’s lives for a divine reason and have both changed each other infinitely for the better,” the announcement continues. “The love we have for each other goes far beyond the relationship we’ve shared as husband and wife. It’s a soul connection that can never be erased.”
The country singers then note that the split was a joint decision and that they will “remain true friends” forever.
“We’ve made this painful decision together — a healthy decision that comes after a very long period of trying the best we can. It simply just didn’t work,” they say. “Though we are parting ways in marriage, we will remain true friends for the rest of our lives. We hold no blame, anger, or contempt for each other and we ask for privacy and positive wishes for us both as we learn how to navigate through this.
The musicians tied the knot in Tennessee in October 2017.
Musgraves opened up to 360aproko in November 2018 about how the couple’s busy professional schedules made it difficult for them to spend time together.
“I have seen my husband two times within two months, basically,” she said. “It’s all good. We will get a chance to slow down [around the holidays]. I’ll get to see my family and just hang and wear sweats and no makeup, and that’s what I like doing.”
She went on to say that the couple were going strong despite time apart, having just completed building a house in Nashville and contemplating when they might be able to start a family.
“Maybe not anytime soon, but definitely though,” she said. “I’m really into it, and we really do want to take that step at some point. He wants to tour and do his thing and get his album out. You know, I want to make another record, and I don’t know, we’ll see. Time’s ticking I guess, so they say. I don’t know if that’s real.”
Musgraves also noted that her GRAMMY-winning album, Golden Hour, was entirely inspired by Kelly. “The second that I met him, my world just opened up, and I feel like I bloomed in a lot of ways,” she shared. “I kind of had this metamorphosis of self, and I thank him a lot for that.”
The following year, Musgraves told 360aproko she was looking forward to spending the holidays with Kelly, “hanging out with dogs, eating just whatever I can fit in my mouth.”
After the holidays, the couple also found time to enjoy a night out in the Big Apple during New York Fashion Week in February. They attended the launch party of Musgraves’ candle collaboration with Boy Smells.
And, while they did not often appear on each other’s social media accounts, Musgraves posted a cute clip of the two performing together in 2018.
“When your husband writes a song about that time he got arrested and forgets to include your side of the story..? @rustonkelly,” she captioned a video showing her interrupting Kelly mid-song to grab his guitar and tell her side of the story.
