Elle King Reflects on Drunken Dolly Parton Tribute Performance, Apologizes for Language and Behavior

Country star Elle King has publicly addressed her widely criticized performance at a Dolly Parton tribute concert at the Grand Ole Opry in January, apologizing for her drunken behavior, foul language, and forgotten lyrics. King revealed that she was struggling with personal difficulties at the time and had not slept or eaten for days.

During an appearance on the "Dear Chelsea" podcast, King opened up about the incident for the first time, explaining that she was asked to headline the show after another singer dropped out due to a snowstorm. She stated that the first show went smoothly, but after consuming alcohol between performances, her behavior spiraled out of control.

"I take one shot too many, and I'm just not there in my body. I'm not there," King recalled. "I don't even remember what I said. I know now what I said. I said. 'I'm Elle King and I'm f------ hammered.' And I got the curtain dropped on me."

She added, "I was totally 100% disassociated. Cut to the dressing room. Me on the floor, just sobbing."

King faced backlash after clips from her performance circulated online, prompting her to send handwritten apology letters to Dolly Parton and the Grand Ole Opry. Parton responded with kindness and understanding, telling King, "Well, Dolly's not mad at you. Why should the world be?"

King acknowledged that her personal struggles did not excuse her behavior, saying, "I don't think that it does excuse the fact that maybe I shouldn't have f------ been drinking. This is like a sacred stage, and I f----- up."

She apologized to those who attended the concert and said, "I had to, like, remove myself from the population for a while because it just wasn't getting any better."

King also addressed the negative messages she received on social media, including threats and suggestions of suicide. She admitted to having "a little aggression built up" and said, "Maybe I did have a little aggression built up because of that."

However, she emphasized that the incident was a wake-up call and inspired her to make positive changes in her life. "That was me hitting a massive brick wall, and I made changes in my life. And I feel like I'm becoming a stronger person because of it," King said.

"I can find a silver lining in literally anything, and I'm going to choose to use this as a tool to not defeat me, but to make me hopefully a better person. And I can learn from my mistakes," she added.

King concluded by saying, "Now, I don't drink before I go up and sing. And they're the best shows I've ever played. And I'm proud to say that."