In Tribute to George Clooney, Miley Cyrus Delivers Badass Country Rendition
While Miley Cyrus is primarily recognized as a pop artist with hits like ‘Flowers’ and ‘Wrecking Ball’, her music also reflects country influences, likely influenced by her father, country star Billy Ray Cyrus. This may have contributed to her impressive rendition of the country/bluegrass song ‘Man of Constant Sorrow’ at the American Institute in 2018, a video that has since garnered over 8 million views online.
Cyrus performed during a tribute show honoring actor George Clooney, who received the AFI lifetime achievement award. The song she performed was originally sung by Clooney’s character in the 2000 movie ‘Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?’, a scene that has become iconic in contemporary film. Cyrus truly honored the scene, as her deep, country-influenced vocals infused the song with a new sense of power and energy.
The 2018 audience evidently enjoyed the performance, with cheers and applause from the live crowd as Cyrus concluded, and Clooney clapping warmly with a wide smile while she waved to him. Predictably, the performance has attracted nearly 4,000 online comments, with numerous viewers commending Cyrus’s versatility as a vocalist. “She can really do it all,” remarks one impressed viewer, “Such a powerful and interesting voice, and such creativity!”.
Another instance of Cyrus infusing energy into a classic country song can be seen in her 2019 Glastonbury festival performance, where she rocked Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’. Adorned in leather pants, a white crop top, high-heeled boots, and layers of gold jewelry, Cyrus embodied feminine strength as she moved confidently across the stage, adding her own pop-inspired touch to a song now celebrated as a country music standard.
Observing both performances makes it clear that Cyrus’s global fame is well-deserved. Overflowing with vocal ability and stage presence, she adeptly handles any type of performance asked of her, whether it’s a moving tribute to “America’s leading man” George Clooney or a seamlessly cool Glastonbury set radiating energy and strength.
