Taylor Swift Pays Tribute To 'Ultimate Showgirl' Dolly Parton At 2026 MTV VMAs

Taylor Swift dedicated her latest MTV honor to legendary musician Dolly Parton.

The Life of a Showgirl singer won big at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday (September 23), becoming the most awarded artist in VMAs history with her multiple wins throughout the night and even made history by receiving the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, which recognized her work behind the camera, per E! News.

While accepting the moonperson trophy for Video of the Year for her "The Fate of Ophelia" music video, Swift honored the late country music legend as "the ultimate showgirl," People reports. Parton died at 80 years old on August 25, 2026, after a private battle with cancer.

"I want to thank and dedicate this award to one person without whom this wouldn't be happening, and that person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton," she said.

Swift went on to praise the "Jolene" singer's songwriting skills, calling her "storytelling ... 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's written," she said. "And she handled this thing with such grace and joy and love and gratitude for the fact that she got to do this, and everything that happened in her life or her career, she channeled back into love and gratitude and appreciation for her fans."

The "Opalite" hitmaker counts herself among Parton's lifelong fans, saying she feels "lucky I got to be one of them, and I will always be one of them."

"I think that we were all very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time," she said. "And thank you for this amazing moment, I love you all."

Swift wasn't the only artist honoring the late icon at the VMAs. Elsewhere in the show, Kacey Musgraves gave an heartfelt tribute to Parton with an emotional cover of her classic song "I Will Always Love You."