On Thursday night at Stade de France, Beyoncé welcomed Miley Cyrus to the stage for the first live performance of “II Most Wanted,” their duet from Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album. It marked the first guest appearance on the tour, which began in Los Angeles in April and will continue through July 26, and underscored the quiet ambition and evolving narrative of one of the year’s most culturally significant live shows.

Miley Cyrus was in Paris to attend Spotify’s Billions Club Live and had been spotted at soundcheck but the impact of her appearance was undeniable. Cyrus later reflected on the performance in a statement shared to X (formerly Twitter): “To be beside such a humble, gracious, legendary DIVA was a dream come true,” she wrote. “To perform in Paris together and sing our song about friendship… was the ultimate firework.” She closed by thanking Beyoncé directly: “I’ll be your shotgun rider for life.”

“II Most Wanted” is more than a one-off collaboration. Cyrus co-wrote the song over two years ago, long before Cowboy Carter was conceptualized. In an interview with W Magazine, she explained that the track reflected her long-standing connection with Beyoncé. “When she reached out to me about music,” Cyrus said, “I thought of it right away because it really encompasses our relationship.”

The duet’s inclusion on Cowboy Carter, an album that has redefined genre boundaries and positioned Beyoncé at the center of an ongoing conversation about country music’s lineage was notable in itself. It bridged not only two pop legacies, but two parallel histories: Beyoncé, raised in Texas, and Cyrus, raised in Tennessee, both of whom grew up with country roots, yet have long existed on the edges of the genre’s mainstream narrative.

Beyoncé’s decision to feature Cyrus, and to debut “II Most Wanted” live in Paris, signals a deliberate expansion of the Cowboy Carter project’s reach. Unlike other contemporary stadium tours, Beyoncé’s shows have largely eschewed guest appearances. Her setlist is curated and intentional, centered on her narrative.

As Beyoncé continues the European leg of her Cowboy Carter tour, set to run through July 26, with stops in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Madrid, the Paris performance is likely to remain one of its defining highlights. For Miley Cyrus, the moment also arrives at a great time, as she promotes her newly released album Something Beautiful.