Kacey Musgraves feels guilty that she used to bully gay kids

Kacey Musgraves has said that gay anthem Follow Your Arrow, which kick-started her career, left her feeling guilty.

The Country music star, who released new album Golden Hour today ahead of her world tour, made waves with the 2013 song, which told listeners: “Kiss lots of boys / Or kiss lots of girls / If that’s something you’re into.”

It was crowned Song of the Year at the 2014 Country Music Awards, and attracted a whole new generation of fans who suddenly felt seen and accepted.

But the singer has confessed that she used to join in with homophobic bullying when she was young.

Country music has a long history of anti-gay sentiment, which is bucked by only a brave few, like Country Music Television and iHeartRadio host Cody Alan, who came out last year.

And Musgraves, who comes from the tiny village of Golden, Texas, told Billboard: “At 18, I was a lot more redneck than I am now.

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“I think back to who I was then: being in a small-town high school and seeing a gay guy get made fun of, I’d like, laugh along and not really think much about it.”

She said that when a loved one revealed their sexuality to her, her way of thinking shifted.

“A best friend came out to me right after high school,” said Musgraves, “and that’s when I started getting it – my perspective completely changed.

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“Moving to Nashville, I started hanging out at this gay club called Play all the time, and I made so many friends.”