Kesha doesn’t want to “ever” release music that idol Dolly Parton wouldn’t like.
The ‘Woman’ singer gets “teary-eyed” just thinking about her cover of the country music legend’s song ‘Old Flames (Can’t Hold a Candle to You)’ – which Kesha’s mom, songwriter Pebe Sebert, co-wrote for the ‘Jolene’ hitmaker.
The 76-year-old icon duetted with the ‘Tik Tok’ hitmaker on their version of the hit for her 2017 LP ‘Rainbow’, and ever since then, Kesha decided “guiding light” Dolly would have to “love” all the music she puts out thereafter.
Speaking about the ‘9 to 5’ hitmaker for Rolling Stone’s Icons and Influences issue, she said: “It was a real corner turned in my mind once she said she would collaborate with me. I made a rule to not do any music — no matter how successful it could be, no matter how many people would love it — that Dolly Parton wouldn’t f*** with. I don’t ever want to put out any music that Dolly Parton wouldn’t enjoy or listen to, or find some humour in. She’s so much of a guiding light, and she has no idea.”
Despite the pair’s connection and collaboration, the ‘Die Young’ singer is still yet to meet her idol.
She added: “I still have never met Dolly in person. We’ve talked and communicated, but we’ve yet to have the two bodies in the same room. To still have somebody you know that you’re going to get so nervous and act a fool around — it’s exciting to know. There’s a moment in my life that I’m still so looking forward to.”
Kesha, 35, is so devoted to Dolly, she’d want her wedding to be at her famous tourist attraction, Dollywood.
She said: “If I ever get married, I want to do it at Dollywood. I was just there a couple months ago. I’ve been there like 10 times. I’m obsessed with Dollywood. It’s just, like, the happiest place on earth. It’s in the middle of the Smoky Mountains. It’s a theme park that’s Dolly Parton-themed. Everybody should go to Dollywood.”