Nessa Barrett delivered a beautiful cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” during her recent appearance on Triple J’s “Like a Version,” stripping the country classic down to its emotional core. Paired only with an acoustic guitar, Barrett’s husky and sweet vocals are the star of the performance. The self-proclaimed Dolly fan said the decision to cover “Jolene” was in part because it is one of her favorite Parton tracks.
“I feel like the music I’m into right now is very nostalgic and old, and so I wanted to do a classic,” Nessa said. “Two days ago, I was just sitting with my guitarist, and he had his acoustic guitar. We knew that we had to do a cover for this, and then we sang ‘Jolene,’ and we were like ‘this is fun and cool,’ and so we decided to do it.”
Despite being a song of jealousy, the 1974 country hit has a fun swing and high-energy. Barrett slows the song down, giving it a more intimate feel that tugs on the heartstrings. By softening the tempo and leaning into the vulnerability of the lyrics, she reframes “Jolene” as a plea and not just a playful warning. After tackling a beloved classic for her cover, Barrett also played her latest single “High on Heaven” for Triple J.
