Celebs

This is what Taylor Swift did as a tribute to Dolly Parton

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Woman with her hair up in a colorful off-shoulder dress, wearing a gold necklace and red lipstick.

Taylor Swift received the Video of the Year award for her number-one hit ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ during the VMA awards yesterday. But instead of just celebrating her own victory, she used her moment on stage to shine a light on someone else.

And not just anyone: namely the ‘Queen of Country Music’, Dolly Parton. And truly: the way she did it was quite sweet.

Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour, dressed in a shimmering dark blue bodysuit with cut-outs and a colourful, furry, short jacket in shades of blue, pink and purple. She stands on stage with her right arm raised as confetti falls over the crowd. Her hair is loose and wavy, and she wears bright red lipstick.

‘Without her, this wouldn't have happened’

During her acceptance speech, she said Taylor: “I want to dedicate this award to one person without whom this wouldn’t be happening.” It then became clear who she meant: Dolly Parton.

Taylor then referred to Dolly as “the ultimate showgirl” and expressed her admiration for her extensively. According to Swift, the stories in Parton's music were so rich that it almost felt like watching a music video when listening to her songs.

And if anyone knows how to package a good story in a music video, it's of course Taylor Swift herself. So, a bit of a full circle.

Dolly Parton as a major inspiration for Taylor Swift

Taylor shared that Dolly has been an important source of inspiration for her. Not only because of her music but also because of the way she interacts with her career and fans.

I actually thought that was a nice detail. Because although Taylor has been one of the biggest pop stars in the world for years now, she also has her own list of artists she looks up to. And Dolly Parton is clearly on that list.

The VMAs were definitely focused on Dolly

Taylor's tribute didn't come out of nowhere. During the VMAs, there was extensive attention given to Dolly Parton and her career.

For example, Kacey Musgraves sang ‘I Will Always Love You’, a song that is of course inextricably linked to Parton. There were also images of the queen of country music shown during the ceremony.

So Swift chose her own way to show her respect. No long speech about her own success, but dedicating an award to someone who she believes has played an important role in the music world and in her own inspiration.

And then Taylor also won a new award

As if the evening wasn't special enough for Taylor Swift, she not only went home with the Video of the Year award. She also received the new Artist Director Honors, an award for artists who are also involved behind the scenes with the visual aspect of their work.

But still, amidst all those awards and big moments, Taylor's tribute to Dolly might have been one of the most delightful moments of the evening.