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Introduction
During a recent interview, country music icon Ronnie Dunn shared the surprising story behind his latest title track, “Tattoo Heart,” revealing that a song by pop star Ariana Grande served as his unlikely muse.
The inspiration struck when his youngest daughter, a student at Ole Miss, introduced him to Grande’s music. With her keen ear for music, she played a few of Grande’s songs for her father.
Dunn recounted, “She put the headphones on me, and I just started listening. There was one song that really grabbed me—it felt like it had a classic ’50s vibe, but with a modern, fresh sound. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in my head. I thought, ‘What if I tried to record this song in my own style?’ I wasn’t looking to create a carbon copy, but the melody was so catchy and compelling.”
Dunn, with producer Charlie Judd, went into the studio and began transforming the song into his own. The result was not just a cover, but a deeply personal piece that became the title track for his new album, “Tattoo Heart.”
When asked about his daughter’s reaction, Dunn chuckled, “She heard it and said, ‘I love it.’ For her, that’s a huge compliment. Just the fact that she even listened to it meant a lot. I’m not sure if it made it onto her playlist yet—I’ll have to check.”
This touching tale highlights Dunn’s willingness to find inspiration in unexpected places and his close bond with his daughter. He managed to bridge generations and genres, creating a song that is both new and uniquely his own.