Miley Cyrus is known for her bold and energetic performances, but sometimes, all she needs is a simple duet and one guitar to create magic! That’s exactly what happened when she teamed up with Shawn Mendes to perform Dolly Parton’s classic duet, “Islands in the Stream,” at the Dolly Parton: A MusiCares Tribute. With music producer Mark Ronson playing a smooth, mellow guitar part, the three of them delivered an unforgettable performance.
For Miley, singing country music comes naturally. She grew up on a farm just outside Nashville, Tennessee, surrounded by the sounds of country legends. And, of course, her connection to Dolly Parton runs deep—Dolly is her godmother! That night, Parton watched proudly from the audience as Miley and Shawn took the stage. Their voices blended beautifully, but there was no denying it—Miley absolutely stole the show. Her passion and energy lit up the entire room.
The tribute concert took place on February 8, 2019, and the performance quickly became a viral sensation. Fans rushed to YouTube to watch the duet, and across multiple uploads, the video racked up 3.5 million views! People couldn’t stop talking about it. One fan wrote, “I just love how she looks at Dolly and Dolly looks at her so proudly.” Another said, “Over the years she’s become the most versatile singer in the business today – Bravo!” Clearly, the crowd and viewers at home were blown away.
This wasn’t the first time Miley performed “Islands in the Stream.” Back in 2017, she had a blast singing the song with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. That time, they went all out—dressing up in wigs and costumes to look like Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers! The performance was hilarious but also heartfelt, proving once again that Miley could masterfully blend humor with raw talent.
So how did this iconic duet with Shawn Mendes come about? Miley revealed in an interview with Variety that she was the one who reached out to Mendes. She slid into his Instagram messages with an idea. “I told him, ‘I don’t know what you’re trying to do next,’” she explained. “I’ve actually been in his position before—trying to fit into pop music but also wanting to do your own thing.” She admired Mendes for his alternative pop style, which matched her own approach to music. It was a perfect fit.
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