Miley Cyrus has lived many lives since she broke out on the scene as a Disney star in Hannah Montana in the mid-2000s. She’s been a pop princess and a Malibu singer-songwriter, but she’s most recently stepped into her rock goddess persona with her latest album, Plastic Hearts.
Miley has always had a great voice, but she wasn’t really able to show it when she was in the Disney machine. However, thanks to an incredible number of cover performances in the past few years, no one can deny the strength of the 28-year-old’s voice. Simply put, the girl can sing.
From covering pop hits to certifiable classics, here are Miley Cyrus’s best cover performances of all time.
“No Tears Left to Cry” (Ariana Grande), BBC Radio 1 “Live Lounge”
Miley didn’t reinvent the wheel by doing a strings version of Ariana Grande’s “No Tears Left to Cry,” but I can’t deny it works! Miley and Ariana are both incredible vocalists, but Miley sings with such power that it feels like almost an entirely different song.
“Don’t Dream It’s Over” (Crowded House) with Ariana Grande, Backyard Sessions 2015
Speaking of Ariana, who doesn’t love two millennial icons singing a Crowded House classic in onesies? While Ariana is known for her tone and silky-smooth vocals, Miley has that raw power I mentioned above. Together, these two are a match made in heaven.
“Tiny Dancer” (Elton John), Grammys 2018
Miley got the opportunity to perform with Elton John at the 2018 Grammys and boy did it not disappoint! “Tiny Dancer” is tough to cover because it is such a beloved song, but Miley does her best not to take over. She and Elton pair beautifully together and it honestly has me wondering, why don’t these two do more songs together?!
“New York State of Mind” (Billy Joel), Madison Square Garden 2017
From one legend to another, Miley wowed Madison Square Garden in 2017 when she joined Billy Joel on stage to sing his classic song, “New York State of Mind.” This song always makes me emotional and I’ll admit I tear up every time I hear Miley’s verse. Even though she’s from Tennessee, I believe Miley when she sings about loving New York.
“Zombie” (the Cranberries), Save Our Stages Fest
Miley was born to cover “Zombie” by the Cranberries. The song is perfect for her vocals, as it allows her to really dig into her rocker roots, but she also manages to make it perfectly her own. I don’t know how she does it, but I could listen to her version of this song over and over.
“Heart of Glass” (Blondie), 2020 single
After initially performing the song at the 2020 iHeart Music Festival, Miley crushed this Blondie cover so much she actually decided to release it as a single. One of the best things about Miley’s covers is she finds ways to introduce older classics to a younger audience, and that’s exactly what she did with this performance.
“Jolene” (Dolly Parton), Backyard Sessions 2012
This was the cover that started it all for Miley. After spending years on the Disney Channel singing pop songs, Miley proved she had amazing vocal abilities when she covered her godmother, Dolly Parton’s, song during her original Backyard Sessions. She has sung this song a number of times, including a few performances with Dolly herself, but there’s something about the first one that will always stand out.
