Kacey Musgraves Responds With Throwback Pic After GRAMMYs Rule Her Ineligible for Best Country Album

Kacey Musgraves is speaking out after her new album was deemed ineligible for the GRAMMY Awards' best country album category. The songstress took to her social media accounts with a pointed response to the decision.

On Wednesday, Musgraves took to Twitter to share a snapshot of herself as a little girl, rocking a pink cowboy hat, and smiling for the camera.

"You can take the girl out of the country (genre), but you can’t take the country out of the girl," Musgraves captioned the post.

The message came after the Recording Academy decreed that Musgraves' new album, Star-Crossed, isn't eligible in the country category, and would instead be eligible for best Pop Vocal Album, Variety reports.

On her Instagram story, Musgraves shared the same childhood photo and message, as well as a slew of snapshots showing her with country music icons, such as Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Ronnie Milsap, George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Leann Womack and others.

Musgraves tagged each of the artists in her pics, and asked them directly in the captions, with messages such as "Aint that right @lorettalynnoffical?" and "Whatchu think @shaniatwain?" as well as "And what about you @dollyparton," and "Can't not ask @reba."

At the end of the long string of name checks, Musgraves shared one final photo of herself, with a guitar strapped around over her shoulder, holding up two middle fingers high in the air. It's unclear exactly who the gesture is intended for, but there was no shortage of suggestions and interpretations on social media.

The public drama over Musgraves' album began on Tuesday -- six weeks before GRAMMY nominations are to be announced -- when Cindy Mabe, the president of Musgraves' label, Universal Music Group Nashville, sent a letter to Recording Academy head Harvey Mason Jr.

According to Variety, the letter implored Mason to reconsider the Academy's decision, and argued that Star-Crossed should be considered every bit as country as Musgraves' Golden Hour, which previously won the GRAMMY for Best Country Album. Musgraves' album Same Trailer Different Park also earned her a GRAMMY in the same category.

According to Billboard, the decision that Star-Crossed is ineligible was not made by Mason, but rather the Recording Academy's country screening committee -- a secret and unnamed selection of individuals who determines which albums and recordings belong in which categories each year.

For more on Musgraves' latest album, check out the video below.

Kacey Musgraves' New Music Film ‘Star-Crossed’: All the Cameos to Watch For!

RELATED CONTENT:

Kacey Musgraves Bares All In Powerful 'Justified' Performance on 'SNL'

Kacey Musgraves Makes Her MTV VMAs Performance Debut

The Weeknd Says His 3 GRAMMY Wins Mean Nothing to Him Now

The Weeknd Says the GRAMMYs 'Remain Corrupt' After Nomination Snub