In an interview with Hollywood Life, Dolly Parton sang praises for both Taylor Swift and Britney Spears, applauding one pushing back against Damon Albarn’s insults and one triumphing over an abusive conservatorship respectively, saying: “You have to stand up for yourself.”
“I really get rubbed wrong sometimes when people mistreat the artist. I don’t like that,” she told the publication. “I don’t like to judge other people and their problems, but when all that stuff happens, like with Britney Spears — when they get [wrapped up in] controversy like that, you have to kind of stand up for yourself.”
She also came to the defence of Swift, who Albarn incorrectly regarded as someone who “doesn’t write her own songs.” Swift responded with: “You don’t have to like my songs but it’s really fucked up to try and discredit my writing.”
Parton weighed in on the whole situation. “I don’t care what other people say about my songs. But with Taylor, she’s a great writer — with or without anybody.”
In response to Albarn’s comment that Swift is merely a co-writer and doesn’t put in enough effort, Dolly Parton said: “It’s not true. When you co-write a song, you work just as hard. Sometimes you work harder with a co-writer because you want to be sure to do your part.”
“I think she’s done great,” Parton said of Taylor. “And that’s one of the things I admire about her because she’s never sold herself. She’s never felt like she’s had to sell her body. She’s always had good taste in how she’s presented herself and with her songs. And she’s very creative and very, very, very smart in the marketing of her life. She knows who she is and what she wants. And I’m the same way. I’m going to fight if it goes against what I feel is not right for me.”
We have more to look forward to in 2022 from the country queen. Dolly announced that she will be releasing her debut novel, Run, Rose, Run along with an accompanying album on March 7.
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“I cannot be more excited about the release of my very first novel Run, Rose, Run with the great James Patterson. I also have a new album to go along with the book,” Parton told People in a statement. “All new songs were written based on the characters and situations in the book. I hope you enjoy the book and the songs as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it all together!”
