Miley Cyrus broke down in tears while performing at the Hollywood Bowl as she paid tribute to her late godmother Dolly Parton.
The beloved country music superstar, known for hits including 9 To 5, Jolene and I Will Always Love You, died aged 80 on August 25 after a brief battle with cancer.
US singer Cyrus, 33, has frequently cited the queen of country as a deeply meaningful figure in her life.
The Grammy-winner reminisced about Parton during her sold-out performance at the Los Angeles venue on Friday.
In videos from the show, Cyrus told the audience she had seen Parton perform live “one time in my entire life” at the Hollywood Bowl, an experience which inspired her own shows at the venue.
Recalling the occasion, Cyrus said she had wanted to watch Parton from the audience rather than join her onstage.
Parton instead opened the show with The Best Of Both Worlds, the theme song from Cyrus’s hit Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, before revealing her goddaughter was in the crowd.
Cyrus was visibly emotional as she recalled the memory, describing it as “gold to me”.
She also said she felt Parton’s presence onstage, and grew tearful as she continued: “I feel her now more than ever.
“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****** wait because I miss her.”
“Some of the greatest music that we have today was written, produced, performed by my Aunt Dolly. This is one of them,” Cyrus added, which led into a rendition of Parton’s hit Jolene.
Parton had been part of Cyrus’s life since birth, as the country star became close to her father Billy Ray Cyrus after touring together during the 1990s.
The singer and actress rose to fame starring as a high school student with a pop star alter-ego on Hannah Montana, with Parton appearing as her Aunt Dolly on the TV show.
Dolly Parton died earlier this year (Yui Mok/PA)
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Cyrus is known for hits including Wrecking Ball, Flowers and Party In The USA, and has had a successful music career since Hannah Montana ended – winning three Grammy Awards and one Brit Award.
She has also landed three number one singles and two number one albums in the UK, according to the Official Charts Company.
Over the years, Cyrus has performed a number of duets with Parton including a cover of Wrecking Ball for the country singer’s 2023 album Rockstar.