Elle King on Dolly Parton and Drunken Opry Performance: ‘I’m Still Not OK’

In January, country singer Elle King delivered a drunken performance at Dolly Parton’s birthday celebration at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. Now, she’s opening up about the incident.

King, known for her hits “Ex’s and Oh’s” and “Drunk,” recently appeared on “The Bachelorette” star Kaitlyn Bristowe’s podcast, “Off the Vine.” The podcast aims to create a space where listeners feel empowered to be themselves.

In her conversation with Bristowe, King revealed that she sought a different kind of therapeutic program after her performance in January because she was dealing with deep sadness and personal struggles that were not visible to the public.

The 35-year-old musician was part of the lineup honoring Parton at her 78th birthday celebration on Jan. 19. Other performers included Ashley Monroe, Tigirlily Gold, Dailey & Vincent, and Terri Clark.

During her rendition of Parton’s hit “Marry Me,” King, who was visibly impaired, admitted to the audience that she was “hammered” and didn’t know the lyrics to the song. Following the performance, the Grand Ole Opry apologized to its patrons on social media for the inappropriate language used during the concert.

In the wake of the backlash, King postponed her shows and took to Instagram in March to address the situation. She acknowledged her humanity, saying, “Oh no was my human showing.” To those who supported her, she expressed her love and even extended the same sentiment to those who harshly criticized her.

On Bristowe’s podcast, King reflected on the experience. She noted the societal expectations placed on women, saying, “You’re not supposed to do that if you’re a woman. You’re not supposed to do that at all.”

After undergoing treatment following the performance, King realized she needed to heal and work through her issues. She shared that while initially, she couldn’t see any positive outcomes from her experience, she has since found several silver linings.

“I feel like I’m a different person,” King said. “I’m still incredibly anxious, but I was before.” She emphasized that she could no longer continue living in the painful situation she was in at the time.

King waited to discuss everything until she felt more stable because she “was not OK.” She admitted she’s still not fully OK but feels she is becoming a new, more authentic version of herself.

After the incident, Parton was quick to forgive King. In an interview with “Extra,” Parton praised King as a great artist and acknowledged that she had been going through a tough time and had simply had too much to drink.

King appreciates the grace Parton extended to her. “I feel like Dolly Parton just delivered me this opportunity for growth,” she said. “She loves butterflies, doesn’t she? Talk about metamorphosis.”

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Elle King opens up about Dolly Parton, drunken Opry performance: ‘I’m still not OK’

Source: USA Today, Nashville Tennessean