U2 has announced that their 16th studio album, Carnaval De Luz, will feature a previously unreleased recording by the late Dolly Parton. The song, titled Torn, marks Parton’s final vocal performance before her death on August 25 at the age of 80.
Parton’s contribution to the album was recorded in June 2024, while she was undergoing cancer treatment. U2 frontman Bono shared in an interview with Rolling Stone that Parton “got out of her bed to sing this song,” emphasizing the emotional weight of her performance. “She sang her heart out,” Bono said. “And I cannot believe that’s an 80-year-old woman.”
The collaboration originated when Bono approached Parton about a separate project inspired by Irish folk music. Parton declined, stating it was “a little too Irish for me.” Instead, she proposed her song Torn, which Bono and Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid restructured for the album. Parton later approved the final mix, with producer Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee noting she was “thrilled with” the result.
Carnaval De Luz is U2’s first new album in nine years and is scheduled for release on November 13. The 12-track album explores themes of spirituality, friendship, freedom, and endurance, according to a press release. Parton’s vocal appears on the closing track.
Parton and Bono had a long-standing professional relationship, with Bono previously celebrating her 80th birthday with a public tribute. The inclusion of her final recording on U2’s album has been described by collaborators as a fitting tribute to her legacy.