Maybe it was Miley Cyrus' take on her [article id="1650975"]parents' recently announced split[/article] or perhaps it was just a breather from her recent spate of [article id="1651704"]provocative awards-show[/article] numbers. But the singer slowed things down with her mid-tempo balled "Forgiveness and Love" at the American Music Awards on Sunday night (November 21). In a demure, long-sleeve black dress, the teen sensation belted out the track on a candlelit stage.

"The only thing that our hearts are made of/ Are the acts of forgiveness and love/ The only thing real, when push comes to shove/ Are the acts of forgiveness and love," she sang.

After the song ended, cameras caught the singer's mom. (Michaels has denied the rumors.) Tish, smiling and clapping from her seat in the audience. According to online reports, Cyrus was to perform her cover of Poison's classic "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," but backed out after rumors surfaced that the band's frontman, Bret Michaels, had an affair with the singer's mom.

With the singer's 18th birthday just around the corner, [article id="1651684"]Cyrus recently told MTV News[/article] that she hopes to have her family together for the big occasion.

"I'm not going to go crazy; [just] have a fun party and then maybe take a vacation with my family ... because that would be really cool. I think we need time to all be together," she said. "So that would be rad if we could all go to the beach or something. ... [I have] no idea [where we're going]; somewhere near water. I'm a water baby; I have to be near the water and I love doing scuba and going out and being on a boat."

What did you think of Miley's performance? Sound off in the comments below!