Miley Cyrus was overcome with emotion on Friday as she honored her late godmother, Dolly Parton, during an intimate and powerful performance at the Hollywood Bowl.
The legendary singer died at 80 on August 25 after privately battling cancer.
Cyrus took the stage at the iconic Los Angeles venue to launch a concert series supporting her 10th studio album, Bass Persuades. During the sold-out show, the former Disney star began singing Parton’s classic hit “Jolene.”
The 33-year-old performer then told the audience that she had once watched Parton perform at the Hollywood Bowl—an experience that helped inspire Cyrus to bring her own concerts to the venue, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Cyrus remembered telling Parton that she wanted to sit among the crowd and watch the show “like the rest of the world has gotten to.”
Parton replied, “Okay, Miley,” Cyrus recalled, adding with a laugh that those words from her godmother “never means okay.”
Miley Cyrus, 33, became emotional while paying tribute to her late godmother Dolly Parton at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday; pictured in 2019
Cyrus opened her Hollywood Bowl concert series, staged in support of her 10th studio album Bass Persuades, with a performance of Parton’s “Jolene” for a sold-out crowd; (Source: Variety)
Because Cyrus did not perform alongside her godmother that night, Parton began her own show with “The Best of Both Worlds,” the song associated with Cyrus’s Disney series Hannah Montana.
“But that’s just not the end of that story,” Cyrus told concertgoers on Friday.
She recalled Parton proudly telling the crowd, “I don’t know if y’all know this, but my goddaughter is Hannah Montana, and she’s actually here tonight, but she’s sitting out in her seat. She didn’t want anyone to bug her.”
“She said she just wanted to watch the show,” Cyrus continued. “Which defeated the entire purpose of the conversation that we had just had.”
The singer said she felt Parton’s presence beside her as she performed at the Hollywood Bowl.
“Sitting here with you all right now, feeling her all around me, knowing that she’s right here beside me every day, more than she could be when she was here. I feel her more now than ever,” Cyrus said.
She added that recounting the memory for her fans “makes that night very worth it.”
“This memory is gold to me. Me and Dolly, we are eternal,” Cyrus said through tears. “Nothing in this life could ever tear us apart, and I’m gonna see her again.”
Because Cyrus remained in the audience rather than joining Parton onstage, Parton opened her performance with “The Best of Both Worlds” from Cyrus’s Disney series Hannah Montana; (X/Miley Cyrus)
“And she goes, like a proud aunt, ‘I don’t know if y’all know this, but my goddaughter is Hannah Montana, and she’s actually here tonight, but she’s sitting out in her seat. She didn’t want anyone to bug her,’” Cyrus recalled; Parton pictured in Nashville in 2025
“This memory is gold to me. Me and Dolly, we are eternal,” Cyrus said emotionally. “Nothing in this life could ever tear us apart, and I’m gonna see her again”; pictured in 2022
Cyrus eventually lowered her head and wiped away a tear with a tissue, prompting a wave of encouraging cheers from the audience.
‘And I can’t f***ing wait because I miss her,’ she continued.
‘Some of the greatest music that we have today was written, produced, performed by my Aunt Dolly, and this is one of those songs.’
The Grammy winner then performed Jolene for fans during Friday’s concert.
Social media users took to X to share their thoughts over the moving moment, with one penning, ‘Absolutely got me emotional omg.’
Another wrote, ‘They Miley and Dolly bond is so special – that Hollywood Bowl moment must have been so emotional.’
Parton passed away at the age of 80 on August 25, and her death was confirmed by her nephew Bryan Seaver in an Instagram video.
Her passing took place after being admitted to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center with autoimmune and kidney problems, according to TMZ.
Cyrus tearfully paused to bring a tissue to her eye as she tilted her head down, causing the audience to let out cheers of support. ‘And I can’t f***ing wait because I miss her,’ she continued; seen in 2019
Parton’s representatives soon revealed she died following a ‘brief battle with cancer’ in a statement to People.
‘Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,’ the statement read.
‘After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.’
Following her godmother’s death, Cyrus shared a tribute to her main Instagram page and called the late singer an ‘angel.’
