Opening with a single "Let's go," the scene cuts to a poker club in New York, where Miley strides in radiating an 80s synth-pop dance energy — that's how the music video for her new single "Bass Persuades" kicks off, directed by photographer Mert Alas. In the song, she sings, "If we ain't moving, baby, baby why are we here?" while the chorus throws down a provocation: "the kids don't wanna dance."
The track serves as the title song for her tenth studio album, dropping Friday, September 4. It also marks her first full-length album since signing with new label Atlantic Records. Notably, she's recently dropped her surname "Cyrus," releasing this work simply as "Miley."
On the album title, Miley wrote in a statement: "My tenth studio album, 'Bass Persuades,' arrives September 18. Music grabs hold of us, we feel it, sing it, sometimes dance to it, let it go, and move on. It's powerful, it's vulnerable, it's sweet, and it's tough." She added, "Contentment, heartbreak, every moment in life — that's what this title means to me."
The album follows last year's "Something Beautiful." NME previously gave the record a four-star review, describing it as "expansive, seemingly unbothered by contemporary chart trends," calling it "a fully realized artistic statement."
Following the album's release, Miley will play two shows at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on October 16 and 18, with Model/Actriz opening. She described the venue as "my favorite place to experience music and watch my favorite artists perform." Tickets go on general sale September 10 at 10am local time, with American Express members getting early access on September 8 at the same time, and an artist presale opening September 9.
A full tour, however, doesn't seem to be on her immediate agenda. Last year, she said she has "no desire" to tour: "I have the stamina and the opportunity to tour, and I wish I had the desire, but I don't." She explained that extended touring schedules make it difficult for her to maintain her mental health.
This past May, Miley received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where she spoke at the ceremony about "keeping the cycle of creation going." She's also recently mourned the loss of her godmother Dolly Parton, who passed away this year at age 80, recalling that one of their last conversations touched on "music and transformation." She wrote: "What I know is that Dolly would want me to feel it, turn it into a song, and keep moving forward, staying strong."
