Singer Kacey Musgraves and her husband, musician Ruston Kelly, confirmed Friday they are getting a divorce.
“We’ve made this painful decision together — a healthy decision that comes after a very long period of trying the best we can,” read a statement from the pair to The Associated Press. “It simply just didn’t work. 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.”
Fans started speculating on the state of the marriage in January when Musgraves and Kelly deleted photos of each other from their Instagram accounts.
On New Year's Eve, Musgraves tweeted a photo showing her planting a kiss on Kelly's cheek that she captioned "seeing 2020" with a praying hands emoji. Kelly took to Instagram around the same time to admit that 2019 was "challenging" with "conflicts mixed with resolve and the ever struggle to do better with yourself every time.”
Kelly was noticeably absent at November’s 2019 CMA Awards, where Musgraves didn’t mention her husband while accepting Music Video of the Year (for "Rainbow") and Female Vocalist of the Year.
In their statement, Musgraves and Kelly acknowledged news of their divorce will be “met with scrutiny and speculation” but said they want to “stop that before it even starts.”
They explained: “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 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.”
Musgraves and Kelly, both 31, were engaged on Christmas Day 2016 and married on Oct. 14, 2017. While accepting a Grammy for her album Golden Hour, she acknowledged Kelly. “I really believe I wouldn't have this album if I hadn't met you and you didn't open my heart like you did,” she said.