Kelly Clarkson had a very special Kellyoke segment on her talk show this week, as iconic country singer Dolly Parton joined her to perform “9 to 5.” Earlier this year, the pair teamed up to record a new version of the song for the documentary Still Working 9 to 5.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkdKCN-Bc_o
Kelly Clarkson, Dolly Parton Duet ‘9 to 5’
The new version of “9 to 5” that Clarkson and Parton collaborated on earlier this year has a slower tempo that draws attention to the track’s important message about women in the workplace. For Kellyoke, the host started the song in that style, but once she introduced Parton, they went back to the classic version.
The pair also mixed up the performance space, opting to sing in front of the couches where Clarkson does interviews. The set is decorated for the holidays, so the singers were surrounded by Christmas trees and lights.
Clarkson and Parton even wore complementary brown tones for the duet. Once the song was over, the crowd cheered for the duo. Meanwhile, Clarkson bowed down to Parton, who thanked the show’s band for backing them up on the performance.
Clarkson Fangirls Over Parton in Behind-the-Scenes
The Kelly Clarkson Show also released a sneak peek video showing Clarkson and Parton’s rehearsal of the song. There’s a cute moment where Parton rehearses one of the lyrics and Clarkson runs around the set waving her arms in excitement.
Clarkson’s music director Jason Halbert also shared some behind-the-scenes information about the duet, explaining that they chose to combine the classic version of the song with Clarkson’s updated take. He added that they had to “pull out all the stops” to make the performance special.
That included bringing in a horn section and recreating the typewriter sounds that can be heard in the original 1980 version of the song. What do you think of the pair’s duet? Let us know in the comments below.
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Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
