Dolly Parton Recalls Emotional Moment Singing With Goddaughter Miley Cyrus
By Favour Adegoke on March 18, 2023 at 9:00 PM EDT
At Miley Cyrus' New Year's Eve Party, Dolly Parton and her goddaughter performed together, singing two of their hits, "Wrecking Ball" and "I Will Always Love You." Parton recently s5hared that the performance was an emotional one, and Cyrus cried during rehearsals.
The medley was not the first time Cyrus got emotional during a performance of "Wrecking Ball." She choked back tears during a 2021 Super Bowl pregame rendition, saying the song is about "feeling completely broken and shattered."
Keep on reading to learn more.
Miley Cyrus & Dolly Parton's Iconic New Year's Eve Performance
Miley Cyrus' iconic hit, "Wrecking Ball," is one of her most successful songs and challenging performances, both vocally and emotionally. The song is often associated with the end of Cyrus' long-term relationship with actor Liam Hemsworth and has previously brought her to tears during past performances.
Despite the difficulty, Cyrus recently found the courage to perform "Wrecking Ball" alongside her godmother, legendary country music icon Dolly Parton. The two joined forces as co-hosts of "Miley's New Year's Eve Party" and treated fans to powerful, emotional duets.
Per an interview with Insider, Parton disclosed Cyrus was the one who suggested a medley featuring "Wrecking Ball" and "I Will Always Love You," two of their most famous tunes. It was an emotional moment for both artists, but they powered through and delivered a memorable performance to ring in the new year.
Dolly Parton Says Miley Cyrus Cried During Their Medley Rehearsals
Cyrus and Parton both knew performing their medley of "Wrecking Ball" and "I Will Always Love You" would be an emotional moment. "Even when we were rehearsing, Miley was crying," Parton recollected.
As the duo took the stage together, Parton clutched Cyrus' hand, providing support as they sang separate verses before coming together for the chorus. Parton described the experience as a soaring one, where their voices blended seamlessly, and the emotion was palpable.
Parton said their performance together was incredibly moving and had a transcendent quality. "The fact that we were singing so well together stirred up our emotions very much," she explained per Insider. "Then we went into 'I Will Always Love You,' and she would just have these tears coming down, and it was so emotional."
Parton believes that their heartfelt rendition of the medley came from the fact that both were deeply invested in the lyrics and sang from a place of genuine emotion, adding a robust layer of feeling to the already powerful songs. "We both put our heart and soul into it, and both felt what we were singing — and singing about," she said.
Miley Cyrus Broke Down In Tears At A Super Bowl Pregame Show
Released in August 2013, "Wrecking Ball" quickly became one of Miley Cyrus' biggest hits. The song made history as the artist's first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100; its lyrics took on added significance when the singer's engagement to Liam Hemsworth ended just a month later. Since then, the song, which explores the pain and turmoil of a relationship's end, has become closely associated with the couple's rocky relationship, culminating in divorce in 2019.
During a 2021 Super Bowl pregame show, where she headlined "TikTok Tailgate" at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Cyrus broke down while performing "Wrecking Ball," telling the crowd that the song is about "feeling completely broken and shattered."
Despite her glittering and seemingly confident stage persona, she acknowledged that her heart is often vulnerable and easily broken. "I wear a lot of glitters, and I wear a lot of armor, and I also wear my heart on my sleeve, and it gets broken a lot," she added.
Dolly Parton Says Miley Cyrus Would Be 'Great' To Play Her In A Biopic
In a recent interview with Insider, Parton revealed that if a biopic about her life were to be made, she would love for her goddaughter, Cyrus, to take on the lead role.
The country music legend spoke highly of Cyrus, noting her physical resemblance saying, "I think Miley would be great."
"She's tall, but you can't really tell that in a movie, and she'd have to put on some weight and get some bigger boobs," the country music icon said jokingly.
The country music icon emphasized the importance of finding someone with the right singing voice to play her in the possible biopic but expressed confidence that Cyrus could pull it off. "Miley would have the voice," she said, "She'd have to raise it up a few octaves, though."