Noah Cyrus Steps Into Familiar Territory With a Dolly Parton Tribute on The Voice, Echoing a Path Miley Once Took. ML
Noah Cyrus stepped into a familiar family lane during the Season 28 finale of The Voice, delivering a performance that nodded to her sister Miley Cyrus’ long-standing musical connection with Dolly Parton.
As the live finale unfolded—packed with coach performances from Reba McEntire, Michael Bublé, Niall Horan, and Snoop Dogg—Noah joined Zac Brown onstage for a stripped-back rendition of “Butterfly,” a song originally recorded by the Zac Brown Band with Dolly Parton.
Brown, who served as a Mega Mentor during the season, handled the piano while Noah took on the vocal role associated with Parton’s original feature.
Written by Brown for his children, “Butterfly” carries lyrics about finding strength and emerging from dark moments—ideas closely tied to Parton’s legacy as a storyteller.
In fact, Parton herself has frequently used butterflies as symbols throughout her career, most notably on the Dollywood logo and on tattoos on her body.
The performance placed Noah in a lineage that longtime fans instantly recognized. Miley has frequently collaborated with Parton over the years, both onstage and on record, most notably through performances of “Jolene” and joint television appearances. Miley has also often credited Parton—her godmother—as a guiding influence across her career.
Noah’s appearance also arrived amid renewed attention on her recent album, I Want My Loved Ones to Go with Me, which featured collaborations across folk, country, and Americana, including work with Fleet Foxes, Bill Callahan, Ella Langley, and Blake Shelton.
Shelton’s involvement further tied the project to The Voice, where he remains one of the show’s most decorated former coaches.
“Butterfly” itself originated from Zac Brown Band’s Love & Fear album, with Parton lending her unmistakable voice to the studio version.
Brown previously described working with Parton as a career milestone to Today, calling her “a national treasure” and praising the emotional weight she brought to the song.
