Dolly Parton has no particular fondness for the biggest country pop stars in the world: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé.

In a new interview with diversity Published on Tuesday (September 17), the 78-year-old country legend raved about both superstars and also commented on Bey’s rejection Cowboy Carter this season. “Taylor Swift is incredible what she’s done with her career,” she said of the “Anti-Hero” singer, who started out as a country artist before switching to pop in 2014. “I just admire her so much and how she’s handled her business, her personal life and what she’s meant to so many young people. (She) has been a huge inspiration.”

As for the “Texas Hold ‘Em” musician, Parton says Cowboy Carter — which included a voiceover from the “9 to 5” artist as well as Bey’s cover of “Jolene” — is a “great album” that she was “lucky” to be a part of. “(Beyoncé) is a country girl in Texas and Louisiana, so she grew up with that foundation,” Parton said. “It wasn’t like she just came out of nowhere.”

Nevertheless, Parton believes that the CMAs – which angered her fans on September 9 by not recognizing Cowboy Carter in one of the 2024 categories – didn’t necessarily “intentionally” exclude the Destiny’s Child alumnus. “There are so many wonderful country artists that in the country music space, they probably thought, ‘Well, we can’t really exclude some of the ones that spend their whole lives doing this,'” Parton told the outlet. “I don’t think it was about intentionally excluding that. I think it was more about what the country charts were doing and the country artists that were doing this all the time, not just a special album.”

“But it was a wonderful album,” Parton added. “She should be very, very proud… I think everyone in country music welcomed her and was happy with that.”

The ten-time Grammy winner also added that she’s “open to anything” when it comes to singing “Jolene” with Beyoncé sometime in the future. And whether it’s the “Break My Soul” singer or Swift – or one of the newer singers finding success, like Chappell Roan or Sabrina Carpenter – Parton says she’s “proud of all the girls.”

“I’m old enough to feel like their aunt or someone who looks down on them and says, ‘Yay, you can do it!'” she added. “I think they’re all great in their own way.”