What’s your opinion on Miley Cyrus?
If you have any awareness of Miley at all, you know that she’s reinvented herself many times over the years. When she came on the scene, she was probably most well-known for being the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus of “Achy Breaky Heart” fame. Shortly after, she was the star of the runaway hit Disney show “Hannah Montana.” Shortly after that, she was onto a string of hit songs as America’s sweetheart pop star… before rebranding herself as a country artist… before rebranding as something edgier than that.
Still, people still don’t always know the range that Cyrus’s voice has.
Nowadays, Cyrus has come back around to making pop/country crossover songs—but we bet you’ve never heard her like this before.
For those who don’t know, Cyrus’s godmother is none other than Dolly Parton, an iconic country artist who has been performing since the 1960s. One of Parton’s most recognizable songs is “Jolene,” released in 1973. The song tells the story of a love triangle from the point of view of a woman who is afraid that another woman named Jolene is going to steal her man away. Though the song is incredible all on its own, Miley decided she wanted to salute her godmother and do her own version of it.
Still, nobody expected it to sound quite like this!
The song was recorded as part of a project called The Backyard Sessions.
The videos were originally posted on Miley Cyrus’s YouTube channel in 2012. The series was a casual set of performances with Cyrus and her band, all performing songs that Miley herself liked and respected. In the original series, Cyrus also did stirring versions of Jeff Buckley’s “Lilac Wine” and “Look What They’ve Done To My Song” by 1970s folk artist Melanie (later covered by Ray Charles).
Still, the last in the series was “Jolene”—and it earned itself more than 177 million views!
As soon as the stormy music starts, it’s immediately clear that it’s going to be something special. Though Cyrus’s version stands on its own, it’s worth comparing it to the original version by Parton as well. While the original version has a lighter touch, Cyrus’s version definitely does it justice:
Though the original series of Backyard Sessions were helpful in changing Cyrus’s image, she actually did another set of songs as well!
The next set came out in 2015 and included a number of performances featuring Joan Jett with Miley. Among these songs are “Different” by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and “No Freedom” by Dido. Perhaps most recognizable (and in the same vein) of the covers was “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” by Paul Simon. Once again, Miley’s voice shows new range, raspiness and soul as she does her own rendition of Simon’s classic song:
Although all of the covers are worth checking out in their own right, there’s yet another surprise waiting you may not have seen before.
Do you remember the song “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House? Even if it sounds unfamiliar, it was a hugely popular pop song from the 1980s that you would almost surely recognize if you heard it. As it turns out, Cyrus did a cover of that one as well—only this time she also got pop star Ariana Grande to perform it alongside with her!
Even if you’re not typically a fan of pop music, these two artists do incredible justice to the song and they duet together beautifully:
No matter how you feel about Miley Cyrus in general, there’s no denying that these covers are fun and unique versions of these songs.
In general, all successful modern artists have do multiple jobs when managing their careers. Aside from performing their music well, they also have to develop a public image, develop a brand and then manage that in the public eye. The best thing about this series of videos is that it allows Cyrus to show off another side of herself that much of the world probably hasn’t seen before.
If you checked out these videos, did they change your perception of her? Which one was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
Be sure to check out the full “Jolene” cover below:
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