Miley Cyrus plays Def Leppard song at Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert as ‘a personal request’
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Miley Cyrus was one of dozens of musical artists to perform at the star-studded Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Calling the event “the most special way to remember the MOST special person,” The Night Crawling singer joined members of Def Leppard and other stars to perform their 1983 hit, Photograph.
With the emotional tribute show still fresh in her mind and heart, Cyrus took to social media the next day to reveal that that particular song was actually “a personal request” from the late Foo Fighters drummer who came in the form of a old voicemail he left for Cyrus.
‘Personal Request’: Miley Cyrus took to Instagram and Twitter to share how an old voicemail she received from the late Taylor Hawkins inspired her to play Def Leppard’s Photograph at his tribute show at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Tuesday
It turns out that Cyrus lived in the same neighborhood as Hawkins. And when he heard that she was packing and moving to a new house, he decided to call her.
She didn’t answer, but Hawkins left a voicemail that would inspire her to play Photograph at his tribute concert.
‘What’s up Miley, it’s Taylor. I heard you’re moving… waah,” he says in the message, which ends by making a howling sound to express his sadness at her decision to move.
It is at this point that he reveals that he rocks Def Leppard.
“I’m listening to Photo of Def Leppard,” he continues, then pays Miley a lot of credit by adding, “You could kill that one,” which would eventually plant the seed for her to perform the tune.
RIP: Tribute shows for Taylor Hawkins were held in London and Los Angeles after his death on March 25 while touring with the Foo Fighters in Bogota, Columbia; he is pictured in 2016
Miley’s Inspiration: In an old voice message Hawkins left for Cyrus, he expressed his grief at her moving away from their neighborhood, then shared that he was listening to Def Leppard’s Photograph, which he said was a song she’d “kill” if she covered it
Before Taylor: In the wake of Hawkins leaving that spoken message about Def Leppard, Cyrus decided to play Photograph with three members of the legendary rockers “as a personal request from the legend himself,” including vocalist Joe Elliott
The pop star revealed that living near Taylor “for the years I did in LA was one of the best times of my life” in a post on Instagram and Twitter
Cyrus called the choice of Photo “a personal request from the legend herself” in her Twitter and Instagram posts.
She added: “#TaylorHawkins, my friend, my idol…. My neighbour. Growing up on a farm, I never got to see the light of another house nearby, but the years living in LA with Taylor were some of the best times of my life.”
The Plastic Hearts star got emotional when she talked about the tribute show in her two previous posts.
“I miss Taylor like everyone else,” she began. “It was such an honor to celebrate him last night and perform with @DefLeppard. I’m so lucky not only to have known him as a superstar, but to have spent time watching him just be a father and husband!’
Just minutes before she confessed that the tribute show was “the most special way to remember the MOST special person!” @foofighters forever.’
An honor: The Plastic Hearts star also shared some emotional messages about missing the legendary Foo Fighters drummer
Tribute: Cyrus also shared a tribute to Hawkins on Instagram
Rockin’: Decked out in a black mini dress with dark sunglasses, the Wrecking Ball star exchanged vocals with Elliott on the track as the rest of the guys delivered all the catchy riffs and hooks
Request granted: ‘I love you Taylor Hawkins. That was for you,” Cyrus shouted towards the end of her performance with Def Leppard and company
Cyrus performed Photograph with vocalist Joe Elliott, guitarist Phil Collen and bassist Rick Savage of Def Leppard, along with Foo Fighters guitarists Dave Grohl, Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett, and Pat Wilson of Weezer on drums.
Decked out in a black mini dress with dark sunglasses, the Wrecking Ball singer-songwriter swapped vocals with Elliott on the track while the rest of the guys delivered all the catchy riffs and hooks, according to Loudwire.
“I love you Taylor Hawkins. That was for you,” Cyrus yelled toward the end of the performance.
In total, the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert, the second after the first show at Wembley Stadium in London, England, lasted about six full hours.
Hawkins wrote and played drums on Cyrus’ song Night Crawling, with Billy Idol, from her most recent studio album Plastic Hearts (2020).
The longtime Los Angeles resident was 50 years old when he died on March 25 while touring with the Foo fighters in Bogota, Columbia.
High praise: Cyrus called the tribute ‘a special way to remember the MOST special person’
All-star: The singer-songwriter was decked out in a black mini dress and dark sunglasses for her performance, which also included Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Pat Wilson of Weezer
Music Man: Hawkins was an avid music lover who always professed his love for his favorite bands including Def Leppard
Contributor: Hawkins wrote and played drums on Cyrus’ song Night Crawling, with Billy Idol, from her most recent studio album Plastic Hearts (2020)