Miley Cyrus broke down in tears on stage at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday night while paying an emotional tribute to her late godmother, Dolly Parton, during her first concert in nearly four years. The 33-year-old Miley Cyrus was overcome as she reflected on her bond with the country music legend, who died on Aug. 25 at age 80.
The show — the opening night of Miley: Bass Persuades – Live at the Hollywood Bowl, in support of her latest album — turned into a deeply personal moment of grief, love and remembrance. Six songs into the 18-track set, Miley Cyrus sat down and delivered a tearful monologue about Parton before performing an emotional rendition of the 1973 hit “Jolene,” as an image of her beloved “Aunt Dolly” appeared on stage behind her.
“I only got to see Dolly Parton live in concert one time in my entire life and it was here,” she told the crowd, noting the personal significance of the venue. She recalled asking her godmother for one night where she could simply experience the show as a fan, watching from the crowd instead of standing backstage in a matching costume.
Miley Cyrus Shares a “Gold” Memory of Dolly
Parton agreed — and then promptly opened her show with “The Best of Both Worlds,” the theme song from Cyrus’s hit Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, proudly telling the audience that her goddaughter was seated among them.
Cyrus quipped that the move “defeated the entire purpose” of her request and drew an “obnoxious” amount of attention toward her. But with time, the memory transformed. “Like so many things Dolly did, that I didn’t understand it at the time, sitting here with you all right now, feeling her all around me, knowing that she’s right here beside me every day, all the time, more than she could be when she was here,” Miley Cyrus said. “This memory is gold to me.”
Fighting back tears, she told the audience: “Me and Dolly, we are eternal. Nothing in this life could ever tear us apart. And I’m going to see her again. And I can’t f—king wait because I miss her.” She wiped tears from her eyes with a tissue, later joking that Parton would have scolded her for swearing on stage.
“Some of the greatest music that we have today was written, produced and performed by my Aunt Dolly,” she added, before launching into “Jolene.”
Miley Cyrus Returns to the Stage After Four Years
The Hollywood Bowl concert marked Miley Cyrus’s return to major headlining performances after several years away from the stage, and the audience included famous faces such as Selena Gomez and Christina Aguilera, according to video footage from the performance. She opened the show with the track “Orbit” before mixing fan favorites like “Party in the USA,” “The Climb” and “We Can’t Stop” into the set.
After covering “Jolene,” Cyrus sang “Wrecking Ball” while clutching a picture of Parton — the 2013 hit was Parton’s favorite of Cyrus’s songs, according to reports. A heart-shaped frame containing Parton’s picture also featured during the performance, a poignant visual reminder of the bond between the two singers.
Miley Cyrus has spoken about still working through the grief of losing the “I Will Always Love You” singer, saying she feels Parton’s presence now more than ever. “I feel her, now more than ever,” she said. “Knowing that I get to share this story with you all, it makes that night very worth it.”
The singer kicked off the night acknowledging that performing again did not come easily: “When I was walking out here, it doesn’t feel as natural as it did [before],” she admitted. But by the end of the evening, the tribute to her godmother had become its emotional center — and a second Hollywood Bowl show is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 18, giving fans one more chance to witness Miley Cyrus’s heartfelt homecoming.