While some artists exercise their outspokenness when convenient, Miley Cyrus is doing so while in the firing line.
In 2013, the former Disney darling ditched the bubblegum Pop of her earlier bops and embraced a more hard-hitting Hip-Hop sound and aesthetic for the ‘Bangerz’ project. A move which yielded her both hits and headlines.
It wasn’t without its issues, though. For, many took offence with what they felt was the star playing dress-up with layer upon layer of cultural appropriation.
The sentiment was lent credence years later when Cyrus, then pushing a more Country kissed project named ‘Younger Now,’ distanced herself from Hip-Hop and claimed it pushed her out.
Now, with recent EP ‘She Is Coming’ seeing her return to similar sonics, a viral video – ironically uploaded by a fan – has probed the problematic nature of this.
Catching wind of this, Cyrus responded.
The video and her comments below…
In an unexpected move, the singer used her official YouTube page to comment under blogger Kenya’s video, saying:
Just watched your video. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak up. Being silent is not like me at all. I am aware of my platform and have always used it the best way I know how and to shine a light on injustice. I want to start with saying I am sorry. I own the fact that saying … “this pushed me out of the hip hop scene a little” was insensitive as it is a privilege to have the ability to dip in and out of “the scene”. There are decades of inequality that I am aware of, but still have alot learn about. Silence is apart of the problem and I refuse to be quiet anymore. My words became a divider in a time where togetherness and unity is crucial . I can not change what I said at that time , but I can say I am deeply sorry for the disconnect my words caused. Simply said ; i f*cked up and I sincerely apologize . I’m committed to using my voice for healing , change , and standing up for what’s right. Miley
While we still have reservations, kudos to her for acknowledging her privilege. The “dip in and out” part is one that is particularly resonant when thinking about how many of her contemporaries effectively “rent” R&B and Rap when required, only to do away with it when not.
In any case, one has to wonder whether her words will see her finally embraced by the Urban “scene” or nah.