Miley Cyrus broke down in tears Friday night at the Hollywood Bowl as she paid tribute to her late godmother, Dolly Parton, before performing “Jolene” in her honor.
The 33-year-old’s Friday show was her first full public concert in nearly four years, according to Entertainment Weekly. It supported her latest album, “Bass Persuades.”
Ms. Cyrus told the crowd the Bowl was the only place she had seen Parton perform as a regular audience member. Otherwise, she said, she was usually backstage.
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“I only got to see Dolly Parton live in concert one time in my entire life and it was here,” she said. “I spend a lot of time backstage and if she had it her way, when she was playing a show, I’d be standing right beside her in a matching costume.”
She said she told Parton she wanted to experience a night as a regular audience member. Parton agreed but then opened her show with “The Best of Both Worlds,” the “Hannah Montana” theme song, and told the crowd that Ms. Cyrus was sitting in the stands. Ms. Cyrus joked that this “defeated the entire purpose” of her plan.
“Knowing that I get to share this story with you all, it makes that night very worth it,” Ms. Cyrus said. “This memory is gold to me.”
Ms. Cyrus said she feels Parton’s presence now more than ever.
Me and Dolly, we are eternal. Nothing in this life could tear us apart,” she said, her voice breaking. “And I’m gonna see her again. I can’t f—-ing wait because I miss her.”
She then joked that Parton would not have approved of the language. “I’m feeling bad that she heard me say the F word,” Ms. Cyrus said, imagining Parton telling her, “You said that when I was here.”
Parton died of cancer Aug. 25 at age 80. She became Ms. Cyrus’ godmother in 1992 after Ms. Cyrus’ father, Billy Ray Cyrus, asked her to take on the role. Parton later played Aunt Dolly on “Hannah Montana,” and the two performed “Jolene” together at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
In a tribute posted the day after Parton’s death, Ms. Cyrus wrote: “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share.” She added that Parton “would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong.”
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