Miley Cyrus Honors Dolly Parton Across Two Hollywood Bowl Shows

Miley Cyrus's return to the Hollywood Bowl brought a public comeback and a deeply personal remembrance together. Her October 16 performance was her first major concert in four years and the first of two shows at the Los Angeles venue, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

At the heart of the evening was Dolly Parton, her late godmother. Cyrus shared memories of their relationship before performing "Jolene," Variety Movies and Times now reported.

On Friday, October 16, Cyrus performed an 18-song set that included the first live performances of songs from her new album, "Bass Persuades," according to Consequence of Sound. The concert marked her return to a full public show after years away.

The tribute shifted the mood. Cyrus sat on the edge of the stage and tearfully remembered Parton, including her regret about how little she had seen her perform, Deadline Hollywood reported. She then sang "Jolene," in a performance NBC News described as passionate.

At the second Hollywood Bowl performance, on Sunday, October 18, Cyrus returned to Parton's memory before singing "Jolene," according to Infobae. This time, she shared a personal account of feeling her godmother's presence after her death.

Reports published on October 19 added the detail that Cyrus had played "Jolene" on her phone and believed Parton had sent her a sign, according to Daily Mail. TMZ reported that Cyrus told the Sunday audience she had asked Parton for a sign and interpreted a subsequent experience as a response.

The two performances turned Cyrus's concert return into an extended remembrance of Parton, moving from shared memories and tears on Friday to a more private story about grief on Sunday.

The later coverage concerns Cyrus's own interpretation of that experience. Infobae and ABC reported her account on October 20, but the supplied reporting does not independently establish supernatural communication.