Miley Cyrus is clapping back at criticism over her first full concert in four years.
The “Bass Persuades” singer, 33, returned to the stage Friday, October 16, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles for her first major show in some years. Cyrus has previously been vocal about taking a step back from live shows because of the physical and emotional toll of large-scale touring.
“I have never heard that I don’t put my heart into something,” Cyrus said at the second of two shows at the Hollywod Bowl on Sunday, October 18, reacting to “clickbait” videos circulating online alleging that she didn’t appear fully engaged with her performance on Friday.
Cyrus told the audience that she’s had many “controversial” moments in her career, but her commitment to her fans remains steadfast.
“I’ll be honest, it is hard for me to stand up here and do this show. It does not come as natural as it once did,” the Grammy winner candidly said. “Like all of us, we change, we grow, we evolve, we find what gets to come with us, what continues to fit.”
Cyrus assured her fans, “You all are more to me than an experiment. That is absolutely not what this is. This is not an experiment of you. This is an experience for me. You all make the experience possible. The only way that I get to test my personal boundaries, my limits, what I think I can do…”
The singer admitted that she had some second thoughts about performing on Sunday, but didn’t want to let her fans down.
“Before I came out for ‘Orbit,’ I already told myself I wasn’t gonna come onstage, I was gonna run away, but never would I leave you all sitting in these seats unfulfilled from a show,” she said. “I can take a lot, but one thing I will not stand is any question about where my heart is when I’m on the stage. I’m fully present. … The only thing that I have is this moment with all of you. To make it clear, I’m all here with you right now.”
During Friday’s performance, Cyrus paid tribute to her late godmother, Dolly Parton, who died at age 80 in August after a brief battle with cancer.
“Like so many things Dolly did that I didn’t understand at the time, sitting here with you all right now, feeling her all around me, knowing that she’s right here beside me every day, all the time, more than she could be when she was here, I feel her more than ever,” Cyrus said.
She added, “And knowing that I get to share this story with you all, it makes that night very worth it. This memory is gold to me. Me and Dolly, we are eternal. Nothing in this life could ever tear us apart. And I’m going to see her again, and I can’t f***ing wait because I miss her.”
