Miley Cyrus got heavily emotional as she delivered a powerful tribute to her late godmother Dolly Parton while performing at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday.
The beloved country music songstress passed away at the age of 80 on August 25 following a private battle with cancer.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, as Miley took the stage to perform at the iconic venue in support of her 10th studio album Bass Persuades, the former Disney channel star began to sing Parton’s hit track Jolene for the sold-out crowd.
The Flowers hitmaker then told the audience that she had watched her godmother perform live once at the Hollywood Bowl, which had also inspired her to hold shows at the venue.
She recalled telling Dolly that she wanted to watch from the crowd “like the rest of the world has gotten to” at the time.
Miley said the late singer responded with, “Okay, Miley,” although she jokingly noted “that never means okay.”
Since the 33-year-old did not join her godmother on stage, Dolly instead opened her show by singing The Best of Both Worlds, which is from the actress’s Disney show Hannah Montana.
“But that’s just not the end of that story,” the star continued to the fans in attendance on Friday. “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.’”
“‘She said she just wanted to watch the show,’ which defeated the entire purpose of the conversation that we had just had,” Miley added.
The singer explained that she could feel Dolly’s presence with her on stage.
“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,” Miley said.
“This memory is gold to me. Me and Dolly, we are eternal,” she emotionally added. “Nothing in this life could ever tear us apart, and I’m gonna see her again.”
Miley 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. “Some of the greatest music that we have today was written, produced, performed by my Aunt Dolly, and this is one of those songs.”
Miley Cyrus then performed Jolene for fans during Friday’s concert.
