Miley Cyrus proved she can sing the hits of any era with this one! When the Tennessee superstar performed Madonna’s “Like a Prayer,” she really rose to the occasion of singing the Material Girl’s iconic hit. Thanks to a viral fan-made mashup, we all got to vibe to the sound of Cyrus and Madonna singing “Like a Prayer” together, and you better believe they sound heavenly on the 5.6 million view video.
The video takes Madonna’s mesmerizing 1990 rendition of “Like a Prayer” in Paris, and combines it with Cyrus’s 2021 Stand by You live special. It beautifully illustrates the contrasting styles of how the two stars approach the song. Madonna gives off a spiritual, almost vulnerable energy, while Cyrus sings with a powerful soul vibe, edging the song into rock ‘n’ roll territory. The Music Man is confident in saying that both interpretations are killer, and hearing them together is a real treat for fans.
Fan channel Miley Nation 13 uploaded the mashup on June 28, 2021, shortly after Cyrus performed her cover live. Fans loved hearing the two hitmakers together and added comments such as “Totally iconic, two of my favourite singers on stage together singing a classic song! Both are so talented and inspirational” and “Wow! Miley is taking it up to another level. Her voice can take up even old pop songs like this and push it to another genre. Miley, you are a phenomenal pop rock diva!”
Madonna’s 1990 performance of “Like a Prayer” is definitely worth a listen, and luckily it’s also available on YouTube. The Material Girl was at the absolute zenith of her commercial and cultural power here, and it’s great to be able to witness it all these years later. Madonna wrote the lyrics to “Like a Prayer” solo, and that really comes through in the performance. The Music Man has to say that no one could perform that song quite the way Madonna does, given the personal touch she puts into the lyrics.
Madonna released “Like a Prayer” as the lead single from her 1989 album of the same name. Madonna sought to release more mature and personal music for the album, and drew inspiration from her feelings in relation to her Catholic upbringing for the lyrics of “Like a Prayer.” In retrospect, Madonna spoke about her motivations while writing Like a Prayer, stating that she considered, “What was it I wanted to say? I wanted the album to speak to things on my mind.”