Elle King, the singer and songwriter, has come under fire following an apparently drunken performance at the Grand Ole Opry. During the Dolly Parton tribute on Friday night, King used profanities, slurred her words and failed to remember the Parton song she was supposed to sing. Members of the audience paid up to $300 for their tickets and reports suggest some are calling for refunds. King, who has talked openly about performing while under the influence in the past, was appearing at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
Reports suggest that King was obliterated before she reached the stage, and the video footage of her performance appears to support this theory. When she forgot the lyrics to Parton’s “Marry Me’, she is reported to have resorted to lyrics such as “I don’t give a s” and “I don’t know the lyrics to these things in this f* town”. When addressed by members of the audience, she told them they would not get their money back, followed by a slur explaining that her name was Elle King, and she was “f** hammered.”
Her performance has been criticized by country fans who suggest that it is a sign that King is unrealistic in her cultivation of a rebel image as she moves from pop-rock to country. Others are less critical and suggest that she may be in need of help. King has admitted in the past that she has performed while intoxicated.
The Grand Ole Opry was quick to issue a statement and an apology following King’s performance, stating that it “deeply regretted and apologized” for the language. That apology followed an outcry by an audience member who claimed that King had “ruined the night” with her drunken rendition. According to reports, she was seen to struggle with her performance, halting and then mumbling mispronounced lyrics to Parton’s classic song. This was followed by multiple criminal profanities, directed at her band today.
Many are calling for King to apologize to the Opry, as well as to Dolly Parton, who was being honored on the night. It is not yet known how either of them have responded. However, this is not the first time that King has caused controversy, previously, cancelling parts of her tour to check into a facility where she was able to deal with substance abuse. She has been sober since 2018 but this performance has been seen as a setback in her recovery.
Music fans, and particularly country fans, have been quick to express their disapproval of King’s performance. Some believe it has caused harm to the reputation of the genre and its classic lyrics. Others, however, have come to King’s defense and say that her performance only adds to the image of country rebels, and root for her to make a comeback after this setback. It remains to be seen whether King will be invited back to perform again at the Opry, or if her reputation as a songwriter and performer has been damaged irreparably by this performance.
