Miley Cyrus initiated her performance by directly addressing the watching students at home in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis: “Hello to all the graduates out there. I’m truly honored to celebrate each and every one of you high school and college seniors and all that you’ve accomplished,” she stated. “As I was thinking about you, the class of 2020, and how you inspire me, I knew I wanted to share this song with you. It feels full of a new meaning. Keep the faith, keep on moving, keep climbing, here’s ‘The Climb.’” She then launched her 2009 single, which is all about persevering through hardships, into a heart-warming rendition.
During the 2018 March For Our Lives in Washington, DC, Miley last sang “The Climb.” Even before that, she performed the power ballad at the 2017 Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to support the victims of the Las Vegas shooting. This is a song that she specifically saves for special occasions. Watch her appearance on # Graduation2020 below!
# Graduation2020 viewers were also presented by celebrities such as Cardi B, Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown, Simone Biles, and Selena Gomez to give speeches and messages of hope. The tribute that Selena paid to the graduates was particularly breathtaking. “I want to say it’s okay not to learn the rest of your life. It’s a journey to find your direction or your passions, so don’t get frustrated by the mistakes and setbacks as they happen to all of us,” she said.