Pitbull and Parton previously collaborated on 2024’s “Powerful Woman,” which samples her hit “9 to 5”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Pitbull-Dollly-Parton-030324-5cf55bd85a8d4ee196587f084f7e7ce7.jpg "Pitbull Celebrates His Music Collab with Dolly Parton â Which Samples Her Iconic â9 to 5â")
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NEED TO KNOW
- Pitbull said Dolly Parton was “always happy” and revealed she once joked to him she was “Miss Worldwide”
- On the day of her death, Pitbull honored Parton at his concert, praising her support early in his career
- The pair collaborated on “Powerful Women” for Pitbull’s 2024 Trackhouse project
Pitbull is opening up about fond memories he shared with the late Dolly Parton.
In a Q&A for Billboard‘s Latin Music Week in Miami on Wednesday, Oct. 21, Pitbull, 45, sat down to discuss his legacy and career. At one point in the conversation, he recalled his interactions with the “9 to 5” singer, who died on Aug. 25 at age 80.
“She’s Dolly and I’m dale,” the “Give Me Everything” singer — who goes by the nickname Mr. Worldwide — said, adding that she was “always happy.”
He also recalled a classic Parton quip that always stuck with him: “Well, hey, you know I’m Miss Worldwide, right?”
The “Jolene” singer died after a brief battle with cancer, according to her spokesperson. During Pitbull’s show at New York’s Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on the day she died, he paid tribute to her on stage.
“We’re having a great time, and we’re losing our minds, but there’s someone that was very special to me and showed me love and believed in me when a lot of folks didn’t and gave me an opportunity,” he said, according to a video shared to social media. “And her name is Dolly Parton.”
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“She lived an amazing life, a hardworking woman, intelligent, sophisticated, funny, powerful, intimidating — but more than anything, a good human being with a good heart,” he added. “And she showed me a lot of love.”
The “Feel This Moment” rapper and the country superstar collaborated in 2024 on the song “Powerful Women,” which samples her iconic song “9 to 5.” At the time, the pair met up in Nashville and posed for a photo together.
“So, to all the powerful women here tonight, this is dedicated to y’all, but more than anything to the legend that will live forever,” Pitbull told the crowd.
Pitbull’s Pitcoin deluxe album will drop in January 2027. Meanwhile, his I’m Back Tour will continue through the end of the year and pick back up in Latin America in February, he revealed to Billboard.
