Carin Leon and Kacey Musgraves Team For 'Lost In Translation' Duet
(Island) Carin Leon and Kacey Musgraves are coming together for their new genre-blending duet "Lost in Translation." The song tells a story of desire and connection between two people navigating a language barrier. "This really cute idea came about these people meeting and not being able to speak the same language, but love language and body language is universal and you don't really need words for that," says Musgraves.
Musgraves first discovered León through his NPR Tiny Desk performance and was immediately impressed. Born and raised in Texas, she's long held a deep curiosity and respect for Mexican music and culture. "Growing up singing traditional country and western music," Musgraves notes, "I've always loved exploring the borders of Country and where it blends with other styles like Norte-o and some regional Mexican sounds that I heard a lot of in Texas."
Leon, widely known for blending traditional regional Mexican music with modern storytelling, was exploring ways to make his sound resonate with U.S. country fans. After listening to some of Musgraves' music, her genre-fluid style resonated deeply with him. "I relate my career and hers in the way that she approaches other genres," Leon says.
Having admired each other's work from afar, the two met for the first time in Nashville. Musgraves brought along fellow songwriters Amy Allen and longtime collaborator Shane McAnally. To warm up, Leon and Musgraves sang the famed Juan Gabriel and Rocio Durcal duet "Fue un Placer Conocerte." "It was a big surprise for me that it was one of my favorite songs...and she knew all the words," León says. "I learned it years ago and it's just stuck in my mind since then," Musgraves adds. "I love it. It's iconic."
That shared moment sparked the writing of their own duet. Produced by Julian Bunetta, "Lost in Translation" features vibrant horns and rhythmic backing from León's band, paired with León and Musgraves' vocals playing off of one another. The result is a nostalgic, genre-blending track that nods to classic Mexican duets while offering something entirely new.
"Even though we speak different languages, we're all the same, you know?" Musgraves says. León adds, "I'm so blessed to be working with Kacey. All good stuff is going to come."
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