Will Reba say if she likes Beyoncé’s or Dolly’s ‘Jolene’ more? ‘Nope, bye!’
The internet is abuzz with the release of Beyoncé’s eighth studio album “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” and with it, opinions on her artistic choices.
The singer’s new album features collaborations with stars like Miley Cyrus and Willie Nelson, while also featuring versions of iconic songs like Dolly Parton’s 1973 hit “Jolene” and The Beatles’ “Blackbird.”
In an impromptu interview, TMZ asked Oklahoma native and country music star Reba McEntire if she prefers Parton’s “Jolene,” or Beyonce’s version.
In a short response, that’s gone viral on social media Reba responds, “Nope […] bye!”
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Earlier in the video, the TMZ interviewer also asked McEntire about her thoughts on Beyonce and what she was doing for country music.
“Oh, lots of great things,” McEntire said. “I think she is wonderful and am glad to have her in country.”
In an interview with SiriusXM, McEntire said that she was “blown away” by Beyoncé’s rendition of the song.
“I think she did a great job,” McEntire said. “She put her own spin on it, and it was really cool to hear.”
When the TMZ interviewer asked for her thoughts on Joy Behar of “The View” saying the song is “anti-feminist,” McEntire laughed to herself and tried to change the subject.
Cowboy Carter released with colabs and covers of ‘Jolene,’ ‘Blackbird’
“Act II: Cowboy Carter” continues a project containing multiple acts, Act I being 2022’s critically acclaimed “Renaissance.”
Beyoncé wrote in an Instagram caption announcing the album: “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”
The Texas native took inspiration from movies including Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar winner “The Hateful Eight,” the 2017 South African thriller “Five Fingers For Marseilles,” the influential John Travolta vehicle “Urban Cowboy,” the Clint Eastwood astronaut saga “Space Cowboys,” the 2021 Netflix Western “The Harder They Fall” and the fact-based Oklahoma epic “Killers of the Flower Moon,” according to a press release.
Although she became the first Black woman to top Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart this year after her single “Texas Hold ‘Em” debuted at No. 1, Beyoncé recently revealed on Instagram that the album also was influenced by her negative experiences in country music. The post apparently referenced her 2016 surprise performance at the Country Music Association Awards of her “Lemonade” album track “Daddy Lessons” alongside The Chicks. Her appearance was criticized by some fans and artists in the genre.
