Jada Star, a country music performer from Tennessee and niece of the late Dolly Parton, has expressed a strong desire to learn Welsh following her collaboration on a Welsh-language rendition of one of her aunt's signature songs, Jolene.
The bilingual recording, which was released on 9 October 2026, features Star alongside Welsh singer Bronwen Lewis from Blaendeulais. The track also includes vocals from Parton herself, recorded before her death on 25 August. The release marks Parton's second posthumous single, following "Bound to Ride," which came out on 9 September with the First Ladies of Bluegrass.
Star has begun her Welsh learning journey using the language app Duolingo and expressed enthusiasm about the experience.
I truly believe anyone can speak Welsh; it's such a lovely feeling to speak the language, it's a comfortable language.Among her favourite Welsh words discovered so far are Draig, meaning dragon, and Pilipala, meaning butterfly.
During her visit to Wales to meet Lewis, Star made considerable effort to engage with the language.
When I came to Wales to see Bronwen, I put a lot of effort into learning Welsh; I was on Duolingo all the time, though I need to pick it up again. The app puts sentences together in such a beautiful way, and they're full of dragons.The first Welsh words she learned were shwmae and diolch, meaning hello and thank you, which allowed her to greet people in their native language.
Star has expressed ambitions to explore Wales more thoroughly and potentially attend the Eisteddfod in the future.
I'm so proud of the track. I've been emotional all day and have received messages from Wales that mean the world to me, too. I think people really like it; it's something they haven't heard before.
How did this collaboration come about?
Lewis and Star's partnership began when Star discovered a video on TikTok of Lewis performing a Welsh-language version of Jolene. Lewis had originally posted her Welsh cover online in 2024 as part of her effort to translate favourite songs into Welsh, never expecting it to go viral or reach Parton's family. After discovering the video, Star travelled to Wales to meet Lewis during Pride Cymru, visiting locations including Cardiff, Caernarfon, and Conwy while continuing her Welsh language studies.
The recording process itself was geographically distributed. Star and Lewis recorded their vocals in a studio in Southampton, while Parton recorded her parts in her Nashville studio in early 2025 after studying Welsh pronunciation. This arrangement allowed the three artists to contribute to the project despite being based on different continents.
What does Lewis think of Star's approach to Welsh?
Lewis has expressed admiration for Star's genuine interest in the Welsh language and culture.
I never wanted to push singing in Welsh on Jada; the fact that she wanted to and was interested was heartening, she was full of questions about phonetics and pronunciation. Jada's attitude towards the language is so healthy; there are many Welsh artists who don't even release Welsh music, so the fact that Jada has done so is amazing.Lewis emphasised that Star's enthusiasm and willingness to engage with the language's technical aspects demonstrated a healthy and respectful approach to Welsh culture.
What is the broader context for Welsh language learning?
Star's commitment to learning Welsh reflects a broader trend of growing interest in the language. Welsh language learners have surpassed 20,000, with course participation increasing by 12%, driven by workplace learning initiatives, young people, and individuals from diverse backgrounds. This growth supports the Welsh government's ambitious goal of reaching one million Welsh speakers.
The collaboration between Star and Lewis also demonstrates how artists from different backgrounds are contributing to Welsh cultural expression. Similar to how Cardiff reggae singer Aleighcia Scott's Welsh-language single 'Dod o'r Galon' was featured in an A-Level drama exam, the bilingual Jolene represents a milestone in making Welsh music accessible and celebrated on an international stage.
The pair have received congratulations from audiences on both sides of the Atlantic since the track's release, with the Welsh-language version finding an enthusiastic reception among listeners who appreciate hearing a classic song reimagined in a different language.
Key Facts
- The Welsh-language version of Jolene was released on 9 October 2026 and features Dolly Parton, Jada Star, and Bronwen Lewis
- Parton recorded her vocals in Nashville in early 2025 after studying Welsh pronunciation, while Star and Lewis recorded in Southampton
- Star is learning Welsh using Duolingo and has expressed interest in exploring Wales further and attending the Eisteddfod
- Lewis originally posted her Welsh cover of Jolene online in 2024, which caught the attention of Star and Parton's family
- The release is Parton's second posthumous single, following "Bound to Ride" with the First Ladies of Bluegrass in September 2026
