Dolly Parton says she knew Miley Cyrus 'was a star' since 'Hannah Montana'
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In their conversation, Dolly dishes on her new Christmas album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, and shared that the album name is based on the Burl Ives hit "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas." She said, "Holly Dolly" seemed like a cute title for the album, and it truly is. She also shared that one of her favourite songs from the album is "Mary, Did You Know?"
Throughout her time chatting with RuPaul, Dolly explained how she stays energized, and the moment she knew Miley was a star. She even offered some words of wisdom for the youth of 2020.
On her happiness
The "9-5” crooner told RuPaul that she is a "very spiritual person." She said that before she does anything, she thanks God for the night and asks him to bless the day and "to bring all the right things....all the wrong people out of my life, and bring all the right stuff in." She revealed that she has her "little meditations" she does and her "little scriptures I read." If things get crazy around her, she draws on those throughout the day. "I say you need to keep a little spot for yourself and your spiritual self and for God. I grain strength and courage and hope and light and love from that little spot," she said.
She explained to RuPaul that staying busy with her work helps her to feel energized. "I’m energized by just what I do. It’s like, work begets work, energy begets energy. I just really stay alive because I just live on creative and spiritual energy," she said. "I’m like the little Energizer Bunny. I’m just recharged by the excitement of being able to still be active and to still be able to create stuff and to be still in demand."
Dolly said that her fans care about her, and she loves sharing that energy and love. "You know how that feels. People love you. And that’s a great feeling to know that people care about you, and so it kind of generates its own kind of energy," she added.
The "Jolene" singer said she gets up around 3 a.m. every day, yes 3 a.m.! She said she gets some of her best spiritual work and writing done between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. "I get more work done during that little period of time when the world is calm, energies are down, and I just feel like a farmer," she said. Dolly said she doesn't require a lot of sleep, and she can work on three to five hours of sleep. She is definitely the elite!
Dolly told RuPaul that she has to stay "ambulance-ready," meaning that she has to keep her makeup on and her hair done. "When I’m in L.A.—I’ve told you about it—if it’s going to earthquake, if we get an earthquake, I’m not running out in the street looking like you look now," she said. "I have to be ambulance-ready at all times, if I get sick or something. But I actually do wear high heels most of the time."
On Miley Cyrus
RuPaul mentioned Miley when Dolly was talking about her favourite song on her new Christmas album. She said that she got the chance to sing with many wonderful duet singers "like Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, and Michael Bublé, and—" That's when Ru mentioned Dolly's goddaughter, who recently released her seventh album, Plastic Hearts. "Miley. My little goddaughter. That’s one of my favourite songs too. It’s a song I wrote called “Christmas Is,” Dolly revealed.
Dolly gushed over Miley and talked about how much she loves her. "I think she’s great. She’s out there, and I love that she takes her chances. I love that she’s true to herself and that she’s willing to try new things and do whatever."
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Dolly said she knew Miley was a star when she was on Hannah Montana. "I’ve always loved her, since she was little, and I knew she was special. She just had a light about her. Her sparkle, and her smile, and her eyes were always full of wonder. So, when she was on that little show, I saw what great timing she had, what a great little comedian she was," she said of Miley's star qualities. "But I’d always known her to write her little songs on her little left-handed guitar. I guess Billy Ray is the lefty. And so she just kind of grew up with us... But I just knew she was just going to make it. I just knew she was a star."
RuPaul asked Dolly if she ever envies that Miley has been able to do some wild things during her career because the 74-year-old singer didn't get a chance to "be that wild." She said that she never needed to be that wild, but it's fine for the "Wrecking Ball" singer. "We all need to be true to ourselves, and I think that’s what she’s doing. I think that’s the key to everybody’s success as a human being and as an entertainer," Dolly explained. "You have to know what your talents are, what your limits are. But I think you have to be brave enough to try." She said that one of her favourite sayings that she says about herself is, "My desire to do something has always been greater than my fear of it." Dolly added that both she and Miley take chances in their careers, but they do it in different ways."But I do think she’s a pro. I just think she’s so talented, and she’s beautiful," Dolly said.
One piece of wisdom for the youth of 2020
Drag queen Jujubee asked Dolly for "one piece of wisdom or hope you could offer to the youth of 2020?" She said that the question was a big one, but she thinks the "most important thing" is staying true to yourself.
"Only you know who you are, what you need and how you feel," she answered. "Never lose yourself in something or someone. What are you passionate about? What do you love? Who do you want to be? Be and do those things, always and unapologetically."
Words to live by from Dolly Parton!
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