"I don’t find this empowering": Megyn Kelly criticizes Beyonce's version of Dolly Parton’s song 'Jolene'

Megyn Kelly recently shared her opinion on Beyonce's version of the song, Jolene, included among the tracks of her latest album, Cowboy Carter. The original song by Dolly Parton was released many years ago, in 1973.

During her appearance on the podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show, on April 5, 2024, the journalist shared a lengthy statement on what she feels about the single. She even said at one point:

"And I have to say, I don't find this empowering at all. There's something strange about what's happening with the modern day definition of what a strong woman is."

Kelly was specifically pointing towards an article posted by UnHerd on the same day where Beyonce's version was compared with Parton's song. The article stated that Beyonce reportedly changed the lyrics and it additionally referenced a review of the song by The Atlantic.

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Megyn Kelly compared the changes made by Beyonce in her version of Jolene

Megyn Kelly said on her podcast that Beyonce's Jolene could not match up to the standards of the original song. Kelly made a comparison by saying that Dolly Parton's version addressed a story where a woman becomes a threat to another one, who is "prettier and more alluring."

She added that the original song was "begging" the other woman to not "steal her man" since no one can love him more than her. Kelly then continued:

"Then of course because it's 'Queen Bey,' we have to change it to be f*cking taken my man, I will hurt you b*tch. And it's much more, like threatening, which I guess Beyonce and Team Bey think is what empowerment looks like. For now, the threatened woman is just threatening to another woman who she thinks might have designs on her life partner…"

Megyn Kelly also criticized the way a woman would react to save their man, adding that the best option is "not to worry." She added:

"To women have no emotion, women are total b*llbusters, and showing any softness, tears, empathy, vulnerability, insecurity is somehow non-feminine, and no longer acceptable in what an ideal woman is."

She also spoke on the difference between both the versions of the song, saying that the original by Dolly Parton was "one of the best tunes of all time" and Beyonce has made a lot of changes to the same, ultimately bringing about a change in the message the song was trying to convey.

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Dolly Parton praised Beyonce's version of Jolene on social media

While Megyn Kelly compared Beyonce's Jolene with Dolly Parton's, the latter shared a statement through X on March 30, 2024, where she praised the song:

"Wow, I just heard Jolene. Beyonce is giving that girl some trouble and she deserves it!"

Back in 2022, Dolly Parton appeared on The Daily Show and told host Trevor Noah that she would love to see Beyonce creating a new version of her song Jolene. She said that she loves Beyonce's songs and described her as "fantastic and beautiful." Parton continued:

"I would just love to hear 'Jolene' done in just a big way, kind of like how Whitney [Houston] did my 'I Will Always Love You.' Someone that could take my little songs and make 'em like powerhouses. That would be a marvelous day in my life if she ever does 'Jolene.'"

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Beyonce's Cowboy Carter has already managed to reach the first spot on the US Billboard 200 and additionally broke records of the singer's other project, 1989. She serves as the executive producer of the new album and it features sounds that Beyonce has been listening to since her childhood days.