Ahead of Beyoncé dropping her highly-anticipated cover of Dolly Parton’s iconic country track “Jolene,” the original singer has asked fans to stream her version of the song. Parton previously let slip that the pop icon had recorded a re-imagined version of the song for her forthcoming album ‘Cowboy Carter,’ which is set to be the second instalment of her trilogy project after 2022’s ‘Renaissance.’ Currently released singles from the album include ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ and ’16 Carriages.’
Taking to her Instagram Story, Parton urged fans to play the original song while they wait for Beyoncé’s cover to be released. The veteran musician had previously given Beyoncé her blessing to cover the song, mentioning that she had exchanged messages with Bey and her mother over the years and was excited about hearing her reinterpretation of the track.
Rumoured to feature on the album are stars like Miley Cyrus, Willie Nelson, and Post Malone. After the release of the album’s second single, ’16 Carriages,’ Beyoncé made history by becoming the first Black woman to top the Country charts. She also became the first woman to top both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hip Songs charts since these charts began in 1958.
Beyoncé has drawn mixed responses from fans and artists alike, with rapper Azealia Banks describing her country music foray as “white woman cosplay.” However, Bey herself addressed some of the criticism and backlash, revealing that her album had been over five years in the making and expressing her love for the rich musical archive of Country music.
Despite the controversy, fans are eagerly awaiting the release of ‘Cowboy Carter,’ which is available for pre-save/pre-order on Bey’s website. The album comes in four limited edition coloured vinyl pressings and two limited-edition CDs with alternative cover photos featuring half of Beyoncé’s face on display
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