Dolly Parton has spoken up about the Lil Nas X hit “Old Town Road” and the status of a 9 to 5 sequel.
In an interview for the November issue of Elle, the 73-year-old country music icon explained why she didn’t jump on a remix of Lil Nas X’s ubiquitous hit.
“It had done so well with so many people,” Parton said. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ll wait and do something later on. No point in going down that same Old Town Road. We got other roads to travel.’”
Parton said she was “so happy” the 20-year-old rapper had such success with the song.
“The fact that that was such a country song… I mean, that’s as corny as any country song could be. I don’t mean corny in a bad way,” she said. “I don’t care how we present country music or keep it alive. I hope it stays alive forever. The fact that all these other people in other fields of music want to be part of that, are able to be part of that – I’m all about acceptance.”
Parton was also asked about talk of a sequel to the 1980 workplace comedy 9 to 5, in which she starred opposite Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
She said a script worthy of getting the trio back together never materialized. “At our age, and with all the projects we got going, we probably were not going to take the time to have it redone,” said Parton. (Fonda is now 81, Tomlin is 80.)
One thing that is in the works, though, is a fashion line. “I’m going to do it. I’m going to get there,” said Parton. “It’s one of my dreams – the makeup, hair, and wigs, clothes, all of that sort of thing.”
Still, Parton laughs at the thought of being labelled a fashion icon.
“That’s still one of the funniest things,” she said. “I just always thought people thought I was so gaudy. I am! I’m flashy, and I’m flamboyant.
“Had I not been a girl, I definitely would have been a drag queen.”