Dolly Parton and Sia gave us a taste of the forthcoming film Dumplin’ on Thursday night by debuting their powerhouse duet of Here I Am.
The song, which the iconic country star originally wrote and recorded for her 1971 album, Coat of Many Colors, is the first single from the movie’s soundtrack, for which Parton and songwriter/producer Linda Perry contributed six new songs.
With cover art nodding to Parton’s emblematic hair, this version of Here I Am is a stripped-down take on the original, showcasing Sia’s signature howl and Parton’s stalwart vocals as they sing together: “Here I am, I’m reaching out / To give you love that you’re without.”
The affectionate anthem might be setting up the climax for the musical comedy, an adaptation of Julie Murphy’s best-selling novel of the same.
The film stars Jennifer Aniston and Danielle Macdonald as a mother and daughter at odds when Macdonald’s character — a plus-size teenager — upends her mother’s beauty pageant by signing up and encouraging others to follow suit.
The Anne Fletcher-directed film will begin streaming and appear in select theatres later this year, but the accompanying soundtrack will be released on November 30.
In addition to the new songs with Perry, Parton recorded several collaborations of her classics. Sia, Miranda Lambert, Mavis Staples, Elle King, Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Macdonald and Aniston are among the featured vocalists.
