TBS Report
18 October, 2026, 09:30 pm
Last modified: 18 October, 2026, 09:33 pm
Miley Cyrus broke down in tears while paying tribute to her late godmother, country icon Dolly Parton, during her headlining concert at the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, 16 October 2026. It was the 33-year-old's first major performance in nearly four years, and the first of two sold-out nights at the storied Los Angeles amphitheater before a crowd of roughly 18,000.
Cyrus told the audience she had been partly inspired to play the venue because it was where she once watched Parton perform. Growing emotional, she recalled feeling her godmother's presence all around her, saying: "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 wait because I miss her."
She then performed "Jolene," the classic Parton wrote and first released in 1974, calling it "one of those moments" and praising her "aunt Dolly" as the author of some of the greatest music of our time.
Parton died on 25 August 2026 after what her family described as a "brief battle" with cancer. In the days that followed, Cyrus shared an emotional Instagram tribute recalling one of their final conversations, "about music and metamorphosis."
The two-night engagement marks Cyrus's return to the stage after she stepped back from touring, citing her mental health. It coincides with the rollout of her tenth album, "Bass Persuades," released in September, for which she dropped her surname to perform simply as Miley. A second show followed on 18 October.