While every selection shows off just how brand-new Cyrus can make a song of any age sound, the choices feel solely connected by some of the deeper reflections she’s shared in recent interviews: Musings on the heavily publicized dissolution of her marriage to her teenage sweetheart and having spent the majority of her life in the spotlight. Her take on the Cardigans’ dreamy 2003 tune “Communication” makes a strong case for it to stage a comeback as a slow-dance staple. She channels Lou Reed via Cowboy Junkies on the cosmically mellow “Sweet Jane,” deftly channeling the acute coolness of both versions. For her Pearl Jam pick, she goes for a more recent hit from the band, the dreamy and slow “Just Breathe,” which she injects with more life than even Eddie Vedder does on the original. The rest of her 30-minute set pays homage to her heroes outside of pop, with this particular music history scholar opting for deep cuts along the way. She kicks off the show with a rootsy take on Britney Spears’ “Gimme More,” a spin on the electro-pop classic that would feel gimmicky and disingenuous from anyone who wasn’t Cyrus, a noted Spears stan. In line with the glam rock liberation of her new single “Midnight Sky,” Cyrus gives the full glitz for the stripped-down production: platinum mullet, red lipstick, and campy animal prints. It’s perfect for these quarantined times, taking place beneath California palm trees, Cyrus backed by her masked band the Social Distancers. Backyard Sessions is back again, this time presented by MTV’s long-running Unplugged program, Cyrus’ second time performing on the series. Both series were in benefit of her Happy Hippie Foundation and featured a slew of guests ranging from Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace to Ariana Grande. The last time Cyrus impressed fans - and especially skeptics - with her raspy-voiced take on classic songs was back in 2012 and again in 2015 for her Backyard Sessions. Ranging from Blondie to Billie Eilish, the covers Cyrus has performed prove a point we’ve long known: She’s a powerhouse vocalist, dominating a lonely class outside of anything her peers are doing. Thanks to the series of covers she’s done on The Tonight Show, iHeartRadio Festival, BBC Radio 1 lounge, and every other remote program she’s appeared on over the last couple of months, Cyrus has repeatedly garnered attention in the best way possible. Miley Cyrus is having a different kind of viral moment than she has in the past.
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