Why Elle King Feels Like 'A Different Person' After Dolly Parton Tribute

Elle King further addressed her controversial tribute to Dolly Parton , and why she opted to wait to speak about it publicly.

King, 35, was part of the Opry Goes Dolly lineup celebrating the music legend’s 78th birthday on January 19. The Grand Ole Opry hosted the show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee. King reportedly forgot the lyrics to Parton’s song and used profanity on stage (including telling the audience that she was “f***ing hammered”). The Grand Ole Opry apologized “for the language used” during the show.

“I was very sad, and nobody really knows what I was what I was going through behind closed doors. And I just took that as, if it wasn't this, it's gonna be something else,” King said on a new episode of Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe . “I've had to heal and deal and go through things. And, someone said to me, 'I think you might find a silver lining or something good that comes out of your experience with that.' I haven't found it yet. But I feel like I'm a different person.”

“Join Kaitlyn Bristowe in an engaging and candid conversation with the dynamic Elle King, known for her distinctive voice and genre-blending music. In this episode, Elle opens up about the realities of her life, from growing up with a model mother and comedian father, Rob Schneider , to her rebellious teenage years and the impact of her family background on her career. Discover how Elle's early performances shaped her music journey, the story behind her Grammy-nominated hit 'Ex's & Oh's,' and the challenges she faced in the industry. Elle shares her thoughts on beauty, confidence, and breaking cycles, while also revealing a touching and unforgettable story involving a bird and a sign from the universe. Tune in for a heartfelt and humorous conversation that showcases Elle King's resilience, humor, and undeniable talent.”

King went on to tell the podcast host that she “couldn’t go on living my life or even staying in the situation that I had been going through. I couldn’t continue to be existing in that high level of pain that I was going through at the time. …I waited to talk about everything until I had better footing. Because I was not OK. And I'm still not OK.

“I also am coming out as a new person and I'm still very much me. If anything, I'm much more me now than I even have been in the last 20 years.”

King previously spoke about the Opry performance for the first time on an episode of Dear Chelsea with host Chelsea Handler . She said during that conversation that she “had been going through something very heavy and traumatic in my life at that time,” and that she felt “overwhelmed” and “like a shell of myself.” She said she hoped to become “a better person, and I can learn from my mistakes.” She penned hand-written apology letters to the Opry and to Parton, who called King days later and is “like proof that angels exist,” King said.

Parton shared her response to King’s performance in an interview with Extra in February: “Elle is really a great artist. She’s a great girl, and she’s been going through a lot of hard things lately. And she just had a little too much to drink. So, let’s just forgive that and forget it and move on because she felt worse than anybody ever could.” King said on Off The Vine that Parton “delivered me this opportunity for growth.”