Dolly Parton might have been the Queen of Country Music, but her stardom reached far beyond the hills of Nashville. No matter the genre, every fan knew and witnessed the generosity of Dolly. Whether it was a friend, fan, or community, the country icon always found ways to support and comfort. But sadly, the world lost that legendary voice on August 25 when she passed away at 80. And while the singer was showered with messages, flowers, and tributes, Pitbull recently explained what she thought about his “Mr. Worldwide” title.
Releasing hits like “Timber” and “Fireball,” Pitbull watched his fame transition into global stardom. And throughout the years that followed, his career included selling over 100 million albums worldwide. But when sitting down with Billboard’s Latin Music Week in Miami, the singer took a moment to highlight Dolly.
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According to Pitbull, Dolly was exactly the same off the stage as she was when under the spotlight. And when sharing a conversation, the hitmaker made sure that Pitbull knew that he might be Mr. Worldwide, but she was “Miss Worldwide.” Not remotely fighting the singer on the issue, Pitbull believed there was no person more deserving of the title than Dolly.
The One Person Who Showed Pitbull “A Lot Of Love”
Aside from honoring Dolly during the special event, Pitbull recently paused one of his concerts to discuss the impact she had on his own career. “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.”
Although he was Mr. Worldwide now, Pitbull was once nothing more than an aspiring artist with a dream. And apparently, Dolly saw that light inside him. But Pitbull wasn’t focused on his own career. He explained to the crowd, “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. And she showed me a lot of love.”
Pitbull never forgot the support Dolly showed him before he became the global star fans know today. So when she called herself “Miss Worldwide,” the nickname was more than another Dolly joke. To Pitbull, she had already earned it.
(Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
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