On October 16, 2026, Miley Cyrus took the stage at the Hollywood Bowl for her first major concert in four years. With her latest September 18 release, Bass Persuades, landing her a sixth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, Cyrus was poised to make a triumphant comeback. But during the second show of a two-night appearance, she took a moment to address the crowd. Specifically, those who criticized her previous performance.
“I have never heard that I don’t put my heart into something,” Cyrus told the crowd near the start of the show, per reports from The Hollywood Reporter. After night one, comments circulated online criticizing an apparent lack of energy and commitment from Cyrus. Notably, she labeled these comments “clickbait”.
She then added that the Hollywood Bowl concerts were not “an experiment of you, this is an experience for me.” Cyrus clarified that, even if she didn’t feel 100 percent confident, she still wouldn’t leave the audience disappointed.
Miley Cyrus Addresses Critics, Admits Live Performing Isn’t as Natural as It Used To Be
Around 2022, Miley Cyrus took a step back from large-scale headlining concerts. She played a few intimate shows following the 2023 release of Endless Summer Vacation. There was also her soulful rendition of “Flowers” at the 2024 Grammy Awards. But she hasn’t embarked on a big headlining stadium tour since 2014.
Cyrus was willing to admit to her audience that live performing doesn’t come “as natural as it once did.” She also said that she considered not performing the second show, but added, “Never would I leave you all sitting in these seats, unfulfilled from a show.”
She continued, “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. Not one. I’m fully present … the only thing that I have is this moment with all of you.”
According to the online criticisms, some fans were disappointed that Cyrus seemed to rely on her backing tracks and crowd engagement for some older songs. Allegedly, she let the audience take over a few too many times on “Wrecking Ball” and “Party in the USA”. But, in a way, that’s understandable. Ultimately, Miley Cyrus has grown as a performer since “Wrecking Ball”. And she has simply grown up since “Party in the USA”.
Still, she allegedly engaged more with those songs during the second night. While she addressed the criticism at the start of the show, Cyrus also took a moment to clarify a comment she made about the concerts feeling “overwhelming”.
“I’m excited to see you, feel you, touch you, but just know, this is deeper than a concert—someone up here singing and you all receiving the songs,” she explained. “It’s more than that to me. And that’s what I meant by ‘it’s overwhelming.’ It just means so much to me, that’s what I meant.”
Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation
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