Elle King has opened up about the pain she endured during her drunken Grand Ole Opry performance earlier this year.
During an appearance on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s Off the Vine podcast, the country star, 35, reflected on what she’s been going through during her performance at the Ryman Auditorium in January where she paid tribute to Dolly Parton on her 78th birthday alongside musicians Ashley Monroe, Tigirlily Gold, Dailey & Vincent and Terri Clark.
King, 39, told the host that she “went to a different type of therapy program” after the incident.
“I was very sad and no one really knows what I was, what I went through behind closed doors,” she said. “And I just took it as, if it’s not this, it’s going to be something else.”
Elle King held her first performance since the drunken Grand Ole Opry incident at the Arizona music festival
King continued, “I’ve had to heal and cope and go through things. And, somebody said to me, I think you might find something good or something good that comes out of your experience with it.”
She says she has found “more good things” since the incident and is “a different person.”
“Ultimately, it was like I couldn’t continue to live my life or even stay in the situation I was going through,” King told Bristowe. “I couldn’t continue to exist in that high level of pain I was going through at the time.”
King also reflected on her decision to wait to speak out about the events of that night in January.
– I waited to talk about everything until I had better support – said the “America’s Sweetheart” singer.
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Dolly Parton; Ella King.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images for American Greetings; Hubert Vestil/Getty
Grand Ole Opry Apologizes To Audience After Elle King Performs ‘Hammered’ At Dolly Parton Tribute
During her Ryman performance on Friday, January 19, King could be seen discussing refunds with audience members in several videos shared on TikTok.
The “Ex’s & Oh’s” artist also appeared to sing gibberish — and delivered an impromptu line about not knowing the lyrics to one of Parton’s hits, “Marry Me” — as she admitted she was damaged and told patrons she was “s— nailed .”
“I don’t know the words to these things in this fucking town,” King sang. “Don’t tell Dolly because it’s her birthday.”
At the time, the Grand Ole Opry apologized to attendees and fans on social media. King’s representative has not commented on the incident.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
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Source: HIS Education