Miley Cyrus’ NPR tiny at home desk concert was released at midnight this Thursday, in which she performed three songs. Two were from her latest album “Plastic Hearts.”
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: Miley Cyrus is a great performer.
In true Miley-fashion, she took the name of the performance to heart. The singer sang in a tiny teen room and a tiny bed. It was an unusual yet fascinating performance, Cyrus dressed in a style that I can only describe as 70s western.
If you haven’t listened to “Plastic Hearts,” it s a cold-blooded yet emotional album where she spills it all. Her performance on Tiny Desk is nothing less.
The first song is “Fade Into You” originally by Mazzy Star and released in 1993. Even if you already know the song, you’d still be surprised: as with all of her covers, Cyrus makes the song her own. The other two are “Golden G-String” and “Prisoner.”
“Fade Into You” is a song for all the hopeless romantics with a darker side. If you listen closely, you’d hear how, with her voice, Cyrus pulls the darker meaning of the song through: that sometimes, when you’re in love, you can lose sight of the person you are.
Cyrus then slides into “Golden G-string,” a fun title with strong lyrics attached. It’s emotionally charged in many ways. Cyrus sings about Trump, her career and finding herself. To end the performance, she sings “Prisoner,” which she reflects on her rocky past relationships.
All three have a theme of being trapped. Whether you feel trapped emotionally, physically, or mentally — that’s up to the listener. But it’s a relevant performance, given the light of current events. The pandemic, the aftermath of the last presidency and whatever stress you have you the past year can be felt in the performance.
The concert is a reflection, a remembrance of rocky times with the hope that the future will be better.
