Miley Cyrus, now performing simply as Miley, has announced just two concerts to mark the release of her new album, and the demand has been overwhelming. Nearly one and a half million people joined the online presale queue trying to secure a ticket to one of her only two announced shows.
Why the rush to see her
Miley will perform at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 16 and 18. For now, these are the only performances she has scheduled for this new chapter of her career.
The excitement is not without reason. It has been four years since her last major live concert, which took place in Mexico City. Since then she has released several number-one hits that have become staples of CADENA 100's playlist, won numerous awards, and remained one of the most recognized artists of her generation.
Only 35,000 lucky fans out of the roughly one and a half million who registered for the presale will get to attend the launch of her new material live. Miley previously said she does not intend to tour again, saying she wished she had the desire to, but she does not.
Her reluctance is not simply a matter of desire. She has Reinke's edema, a condition she describes as vocal cord abuse. That same distinctive rasp in her voice is also her torment, since singing live with the condition is extremely difficult for her, something she compares to running a marathon with weights strapped to her ankles.
A star that never stops
The Hollywood Bowl sits about two kilometers from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where Miley received star number 2,854, in the recording category, on May 22. She was joined at the ceremony by actress Anya Taylor-Joy and designer Donatella Versace, and used her speech to reflect on what it means to have her name immortalized there. She said the star somehow represents immortality. The moment turned emotional when she referenced her own song 'Walk of Fame', which is about living forever.
New single and album details
Miley has no plans to stand still admiring her star. The first single from her new album is already out, sharing its name with the record itself, 'Bass Persuades'. The track blends synthesizers with an eighties spirit, danceable pop, and an attitude that edges close to rock, while delivering a pointed critique of society's relationship with phones and screen time. The message is simple: look up, put the phone down, and dance.
The album is set for release on September 18 and will contain 10 songs. Miley has described it as also functioning like a love story, though not the kind that fits on a postcard. She said love stories are never one-dimensional and always have layers.
What Miley has said about the album
Miley appears to treat music itself as a relationship with a built-in ending. She used that idea to introduce the concept behind her tenth studio album on social media, saying that music takes hold of people, that they feel it and sing it, sometimes dance to it, and then let it go and move on.
Her new era will now begin with just two concerts already being described as among the most sought-after shows of the year.
