Taylor Swift Honors Dolly Parton In VMAs Speech

Taylor Swift dedicated her Best Music Video award at the 2026 Video Music Awards to the late Dolly Parton, describing her as “the ultimate showgirl.” Swift won the award for ‘The Fate of Ophelia,’ from her latest album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ a video that she also wrote and directed. In her acceptance speech, Swift thanked the fans who voted for her and the team who helped bring the video to life. She then dedicated the trophy to the country legend, calling her “one person, without whom this wouldn’t be happening, and that person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton.” “Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich. Listening to her songs, it’s like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life, every single time you hear what she has written,” she added. Swift also praised Parton for channeling everything that happened in her life and career into “love and gratitude and appreciation for her fans.” The pop star added that she was “lucky I got to be one of them” and promised she would “always be one of them,” before thanking fans once more for “this amazing moment.”