Dolly Parton Sings in Welsh on Posthumous 'Jolene' Cover
The country music icon collaborated with her niece and Welsh singer Bronwen Lewis on a bilingual version of her classic hit.
Dolly Parton lent her voice to a Welsh-language rendition of her iconic song "Jolene," released posthumously. The collaboration features Parton, her niece and singer-songwriter Jada Star, and Welsh singer-songwriter Bronwen Lewis.
The bilingual cover, with both Welsh and English lyrics, was released on Friday. This marks Parton's second posthumous single, following her death on August 25.
Lewis, originally from Neath, Wales, began translating her favorite songs into Welsh in 2024. After deciding to translate "Jolene," she recorded a video of herself singing the Welsh version, which gained viral attention. This led to contact from Parton's family, specifically her niece Jada Star.
Star, also a singer-songwriter, traveled from Nashville to Wales and connected with Lewis. It was Star's idea to record "Jolene" in Welsh and involve her aunt. Parton recorded her parts at her Nashville studio in early 2025, having spent time understanding the phonetics of Lewis' translation, according to a teaser video released last week.
Parton, who has familial ties to Machynlleth in Powys, Wales, was reportedly "proud" to sing in Welsh. The recording includes Parton reciting the line, "heartbreak sounds the same in every language."