Miley Cyrus claps back at criticism of her Hollywood Bowl performance: ‘This is not an experiment’
Miley Cyrus claps back at criticism of her Hollywood Bowl performance: ‘This is not an experiment’
Carsen HoladayTue, October 20, 2026 at 6:14 AM UTC
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Miley Cyrus released her latest album in September (AFP/Getty)Singer performed live Friday for the first time in four years
Miley Cyrus has addressed critics who spoke out against her Friday night Hollywood Bowl performance.
The 33-year-old singer performed live for the first time in four years this weekend at the iconic venue, but the concert sparked criticism due to Cyrus skipping over lyrics of hits including “Party in the USA” and “Flowers.”
At her second show Sunday, Cyrus addressed the pushback by calling it “clickbait,” according to Variety.
“I’ve never heard that I don’t put my heart into something,” she told the audience. “I don’t know if any of you heard that somebody was doing commentary to get clickbait on their video talking about my show on Friday night, but I’m a lot of things and we’re not even going to entertain that.”
She then spoke about her relationship to performing, admitting, “It is hard for me to stand up here and do this show.”
“It does not come as natural as it once did to be before,” she said. “Because, like all of us, we change, we evolve, we grow, and we find what gets to come with us. What continues to fit.”
However, she insisted, the two shows at the Hollywood Bowl were “more to me than an experiment.”
“That is absolutely not what this is,” she said. “This is not an experiment of you. This is an experience for me. And you all make the experience possible. [This is] the only way I get to test my personal boundaries, my limits, what I think I can do.”
Cyrus then told the crowd that she almost canceled Sunday’s show.
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“Before I came out for ‘Orbit,’ I already told myself I wasn’t going to come on stage, I was going to run away,” she said. “But never would I leave you all sitting in these seats, unfulfilled from a show.”
She added: “So 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 am fully present.”
Cyrus went on to reference the criticism while performing her latest single, “Bass Persuades,” saying, “Oh, I forgot I’m supposed to sing every f***ing word!”
The Independent has contacted the singer for comment.
Elsewhere during her show, Cyrus acknowledged the death of her godmother, Dolly Parton, who died in August aged 80.
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus performed together at the 2019 Grammys (Getty)
Sitting on the edge of the stage clutching a tissue, Cyrus recalled that the one and only time she ever saw Parton perform in concert (without being by her side onstage) was at the Hollywood Bowl. Cyrus declined the opportunity to appear alongside the “Jolene” singer, opting to watch the entirety of the concert instead.
But Parton didn’t entirely take no for an answer. “She comes out, and she goes, like a proud aunt. ‘I don't know if y'all know this, but my goddaughter is Hannah Montana. And she's actually here tonight; she's sitting down in her seat. She didn't want anyone to bug her,’” Cyrus recalled of that night as a young girl. “Which defeated the entire purpose of the conversation.”
An emotional Cyrus continued: “Me and Dolly, we are eternal. Nothing in his life could ever tear us apart. And I'm gonna see her again. And I can't wait 'cause I miss her.”
The Hannah Montana star does not have any more shows scheduled for the release of her tenth studio album, Bass Persuades, which came out in September. Cyrus dropped her last name in a rebranding before the release.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
