Miley Cyrus Debuts 'Wrecking Ball' Live at iHeartRadio Performance
Miley Cyrus performed "Wrecking Ball," the intense second "Bangerz" single and her first No. 1 song on the Hot 100 chart, for the first time during a four-song performance at the iHeartRadio Music Festival Village on Saturday (September 21), a daytime extension of the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas.
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Taking the stage at a little after 1:30 pm PT, the 20-year-old pop phenom greeted the ravenous crowd in a white curve-hugging pant-shirt combo and launched into "We Can't Stop," with help from dancers dressed up as rainbows and mushrooms. After conjuring some twerking from a trio of little people onstage, Cyrus performed "Party In The U.S.A." and her cover of Melanie Safka's "Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma" before setting the stage for "Wrecking Ball's" blast of emotion.
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"I know it's hot as fuck, but I thank you guys for being here," Cyrus told the daytime crowd before acknowledging that "Wrecking Ball" was a special song in her canon, as her first-ever Hot 100 chart-topper. With three guitarists, a keyboardist, a drummer and two backing vocalists behind her, Cyrus presented "Wrecking Ball" without pretense, pacing at the front of the stage and clawing at the chorus' high notes.
Cyrus was among the performers at the inaugural iHeartRadio Village, located across from the Luxor on the Vegas strip and including 20-minute performances by the Wanted, Avril Lavigne, Krewella and Jason Derulo, among others. Cyrus is also scheduled to perform on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, when the iHeartRadio Music Festival resumes with artists like Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney, Drake and Bruno Mars.
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