If you, like me, spend several hours a day scrolling through TikTok, you have probably come across a video of Miley Cyrus, live in concert, belting out a cover of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” If you haven’t, I’m so sorry your FYP really needs a revamp.
For weeks, I have been playing these TikToks on repeat because like all of Cyrus’ covers, it’s a banger. Little did I know that the full version of the cover has been streamable since April 1, 2022. That’s right, our Miley dropped her first-ever live concert album—with a few new songs on it—and I missed it for almost an ENTIRE month! Don’t worry, this has been rectified as I spent all weekend playing her “Like a Prayer” cover on repeat.
@mileycyrus Your prayers have been answered . Dropping my South America set this Friday
♬ Like a Prayer (Live) - Miley Cyrus
But, I must say, glam rocker Miley is truly my favorite Miley era. And as someone who watched Hannah Montana growing up, I’ve been through all the eras. What can I say, I’m a sucker for someone coming into their own.
If you’re a lifelong follower of Cyrus, her music, and her transformations, then you probably feel the same way I do: This is the best time to be a Miley Cyrus fan. That’s true especially if you’ve tracked her journey from Disney starlet to pop provocateur to nostalgia-embracing rocker. That this is such a fit for her at this point of her career is so gratifying because of that evolution and what it’s meant to be a fan along the way.
So how did we get here? Allow a noted Cyrus historian (me) to break it down for you.
I like to think that Miley’s transformation into the rock goddess we have now began back in 2012 with her Backyard Sessions. People who dismissed Cyrus as just another Disney Channel pop star had to face the truth very quickly; not only CAN she sing, but she can sing any genre.
Unless you were living under a rock, you must have seen her cover of her godmother Dolly Parton’s famous tune “Jolene” ricochet around the internet to unanimous praise. It was the cover that jump-started her reputation as a cover song queen—a title both her and Kelly Clarkson still hold.
We will circle back to discussing her covers in a second, don’t worry, but first, we need to talk about Bangerz.
Do you remember where you were when “Wrecking Ball” and its iconic music video were released? You should, because it is an important pop culture moment. It was when we all realized how amazing a prop sledgehammer can be in a music video. Oh, and it also sent a very clear message: Miley is no longer Disney’s Hannah Montana.
The shedding of one’s Disney image is always such an uphill battle—yes, this a “The Climb” reference. Lucky for us though, Cyrus is one of the few that changed her sound and image post-Disney, but still respects that past. Her earlier songs are bops and she knows it. For example she still sings “The Climb,” “Party In The U.S.A.” and “See You Again” on tour. They are literally on the new live tour album she just dropped. We love a queen that embraces her past.
Like most Disney stars shedding their PG image, Cyrus faced a lot of backlash and internet discourse (ugh). But Cyrus stayed strong and, despite the public scrutiny on her appearance and relationships, she made it to the other side—yes, another “The Climb” reference. And now, we are blessed with living in the best Miley era.
While her Backyard Sessions proved her musical prowess, it was her 2019 starring role in a Black Mirror episode—Ashley O forever!—that gave us a taste of what hard rocker Miley would look like. Spoiler alert: It was everything we wanted and more. Cyrus’ electric cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Head Like a Hole” at the end of the episode changed everything—at least for me. I needed more rocker Miley in my life– and she delivered.
That brings us to the “Heart of Glass” cover. (I told you we’d circle back!) It was another Miley cover seen round the internet. Cyrus’ rendition of the classic Blondie song at the iHeart Music Awards in 2020 took the internet by storm. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve seen a performance more widely shared on social media since Tom Holland’s “Umbrella” show-stopper on Lip Sync Battle. My personal favorite cover of Miley’s, though, is her rendition of The Cranberries’ “Zombie,” which she performed at Whiskey a Go Go. Honestly, if you haven’t watched this cover yet, please stop reading and go watch now. It's life-changing.
Also, while you are down the Miley Cyrus cover rabbit hole, go watch her 2018 cover of John Lennon’s iconic holiday song “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” you won’t regret it.
All these covers served as the most brilliant promos for her rock album Plastic Hearts, which dropped in November of 2020. The hype was huge and, oh boy, that album did NOT disappoint. Songs with Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, and Billy Idol?! Come on! Top to bottom, it’s one of the most superb albums I’ve listened to in a while. I am still livid that it didn’t receive a single Grammy nomination.
Miley Cyrus has gone through a lot of musical eras in her relatively short career. Will she stay a rocker forever? Will she move back to more mainstream pop? Honestly, it doesn’t matter because when you are a Miley fan you always get the best of both worlds.
