I read Miley Cyrus here. So I need to rant. Miley Cyrus baffles and frustrates me. The Disney Channel is one of my guilty pleasures. Love it or hate it, you have to admit Disney is great at picking and shaping talent. I thought Miley was very talented. Not phenomenal or out of this world, but a voice talent with potential. I love the twine of southern drawl in that varyingly deep female voice she has. "The Climb" is a really good song for a teenage artist. "See You Again" is my jam when I drive the car. And I think Miley Cyrus version of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" really uplifted the classic for a new generation.
I wholeheartedly supported her when she tried to break her Hannah Montana mold with "Party in the USA". I think it was sexy and hot. I didn't' mind the pole dancing moves. I think she worked it well. Everyone needs to break away from their teenage roles and grow up. Dakota Fanning did it, Jessica Biel did it and Miley Cyrus had good reason to stop being Hannah Montana.
When it came to twerking, I thought power to the white girl who wants to shake her rump. I watched that video of her in the Unicorn one piece and remember thinking "Damn, she's actually good for a white chick".
But now I don't know what to think. Her VMA performance with Robin Thicke wasn't sexy or hot. Her twerking didn't make me thing "Damn, she's good". My jaw dropped and I was more like "What hideousness is this". The entire performance was crass, distasteful and explicit. The line had been crossed from sexy to vulgar. To add the tongue lolling out made it even more repulsive and grotesque. I get that she doesn't want to be perceived as this Disney teenager anymore. I get the need for her to be perceived as sexy and edgy. But why this? Take a look at the video "Heather Morris can dance" - that's how you can be sensual, teasing, titillating without being vulgar.
She leaves me even more confused with Wrecking Ball. The song is great. Here is a song that is very well written and composed. Meaningful, personal, intimate. It is the kind of song a mature artist wants to perform. A departure from bubblegum pop into something meaningful. As the video opened, I was impressed. It was raw and edgy conveying the surging emotions of the song. But then that too went haywire. I didn't mind her being naked on the wrecking ball. Gotye and Kimbra were naked in their video. Rihanna is naked in "Stay" (which is again a rare beautiful masterpiece in pop music). But somehow she didn't capture the vulnerability that they did. Combined with the sledgehammer licking, it came off as crude, not in sync with the song.
Wrecking Ball could have been a redemption. A song that makes people go "Ah so this is the grown up Miley Cyrus". But she ruined it. I hope Miley listens to "Wrecking Ball" and watches it again to see the missed potential. I hope she listens to "The Climb" and realizes that she did amazing things at a young age. I hope she revives her career. Nothing is more tragic than another Disney alumni going down the Lohan way.
