Dolly Parton apparently knew two years ago that a collaboration with Beyoncé was in the card. Even more specifically, she appeared on The Daily Show to chat with Trevor Noah and dished about how she’d love to hear the icon’s spin of her song “Jolene.”
Noah had asked the question because he had heard it as a rumor. At the time, Parton seemed to think it was a long shot dream.
“I don’t know if she’s even got the message, but wouldn’t that be killer?” Parton shared, with the video reposted by The Daily Show here. “I think she’s fantastic and beautiful, and I love her music. I would just love to hear ‘Jolene’ done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney did my ‘I Will Always Love You,’ just someone who can take my little songs and make ’em like powerhouses. So that would be a marvelous day in my life, if she ever does do ‘Jolene.’”
So, Parton is having a fantastic day today — as Bey’s cover of “Jolene” is featured on her new Cowboy Carter record. “Wow, I just heard ‘Jolene,'” Parton also posted on Twitter following the album’s release. “Beyoncé is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it!”
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 29, 2024
Check out Beyoncé’s reintrepretation of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” above.