Changing Country Music

Kasey Musgraves is a relatively new young country artist who started her career as a song writer. On October 21st, 2013 she released her own single titled "Follow Your Arrow" which won Song of the Year in the 48th annual CMA Awards. This was a very big turning point in country music because the song promotes smoking marijuana and same-sex relationships, which is not something that is often present in country music. This also made her one of the very few women artists to receive that award.

The song is also very important because in several different parts of the song she points out ridiculous stereotypical labels that are often placed on women:

If you save yourself for marriage

You're a bore

You don't save yourself for marriage

You're a "whore"able person

If you won't have a drink then you're a prude

But they'll call you a drunk

As soon as you down the first one

If you can't lose the weight

Then you're just fat

But if you lose too much

Then you're on crack

These lyrics point out many of the difficulties that women face throughout life while trying to please and fit in with society, which makes it very relatable to many young women that listen to it. The problem is you can't please everyone so Musgraves response to these labels is:

You're damned if you do
And you're damned if you don't
So, you might as well just do
Whatever you want

Her song is very inspirational to young women everywhere and is a great step forward for, not only the women of country music, but the country music industry in general. Everyone, especially young women in today's society need to forget about those labels and what everyone thinks and just "follow your arrow wherever it points".

- Ashley Compton