Miley Cyrus has made a triumphant return to her country roots with the lead single off her upcoming sixth studio album. The 24-year-old singer joined Elvis Duran and the Morning Show on Tuesday to talk about the inspiration behind "Malibu," as well as perform a stripped back version live in studio. While fans have gotten used to Miley's over-the-top outfits and grand theatrics over the past three years, a completely different version of the talented songstress showed up to the Z100 studios. There were no giant flying hot dogs or crazy pyrotechnics, just Miley, two acoustic guitars, and her undeniably powerful vocals. The result was a raw performance you won't want to miss.
Miley discussed what Malibu, California, has meant for her personal growth. The singer-songwriter grew up on a farm in Tennessee and admits to feeling out of place in a city like Los Angeles. In Malibu, though, Miley has been able to cultivate a sanctuary for herself. It hasn't only given herself peace of mind, telling Elvis Duran that her famous father Billy Ray Cyrus loves coming out to her farm in the idyllic Malibu.
Her new sound certainly reflects her new lifestyle. Elvis revealed he overheard guests at the Robin Hood Gala, where Miley performed, say that they've "never heard Miley like this. This is incredible." This wasn't the firs time that Elvis heard people talking about Miley's new music with such enthusiasm either. The radio host told Miley that her label told him that he should expect to be blown away by what's coming. Miley didn't disappoint. "It's raw," Elvis said of 'Malibu'. "Your music is directly from the heart."
Miley revealed that, despite her long career, she's starting to get nervous about performing, especially in front of smaller crowds. "I'm actually always kind of freaking out," the singer said in a vulnerable moment. "I have to always remember that my feet are on the ground. It's a new thing. I think it's because...I haven't been performing for the last year. Even my last tour, it wasn't that kind of show. It was more about having fun and interacting with the crowd. Growing up in this industry, people always assume that I really like attention. When you're younger, you're much more fearless. As time goes on, I get more and more weird about when things are all about me."
It's no secret that Miley's fiancé, the extremely handsome Australian actor Liam Hemsworth, helped inspire the lyrics behind 'Malibu'. She's not downplaying the important role Hemsworth plays in her life, however, she wants her fans to know that there's so much more to the song than just the surface level interpretation. "It can be so easily generalized into a love song," Miley said of her new single. "I had to really heal myself individually. This song about finding a new love with an old love or finding a new freedom is also about individuality and realizing that certain doors can lead you places you never imagined you would be. If that can be through a person, that's really awesome."
Miley wants to show that she's a powerful person, though, who can make important decisions that allow her to grow and change in her own right. She's in a great space right now, and wants to see credit where credit is due for her personal evolution. "Sometimes when I read write ups about this song, it's like 'you can tell there's a leading man in there that really brought her feet down to the ground' and that [downplays] changes that I really made." She explained. "As a woman, I want to take that power back and say 'I did that.' I made a decision to say 'hey, this is what I want' and anything I want I'm going to put one hundred percent of my heart and brain into. What I want to be is healthy, happy, in love, and free."
We love seeing Miley in such a happy, healthy, and free mindset. We'll be watching her amazing, stripped back performance of "Malibu" all day. After her chat with Elvis, we're dying to see what Miley has coming up next!