Watch Miley Cyrus Cover Blondie and Hall and Oates Classics
Miley Cyrus can now add Blondie and Hall & Oates to the growing list of classic-rock artists she's covered, thanks to recent performances of "Heart of Glass" and "Maneater."
Cyrus opened her set at the iHeartRadio Festival over the weekend with "Heart of Glass," Blondie's first No. 1 single. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the festival moved from its usual home in Las Vegas to venues in Los Angeles and Nashville, with the artists performing without an audience. (Fans could watch the show on the CW network and FuboTV.) Other acts on the bill included Bon Jovi, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Keith Urban and BTS.
While Cyrus' rendition of Blondie's hit was faithful to the original, "Maneater," which she also played on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, was reinterpreted. The singer removed the Motown-inspired groove, starting instead with a sparse arrangement in the first verse and chorus before moving to a more straightforward rock rhythm.
You can watch both performances below.
In 2014, John Oates revealed that "Maneater," a No. 1 hit for Hall & Oates in 1982, wasn't about a woman but rather the vibe found in New York City at the time. "It’s about greed, avarice and spoiled riches," he said. "But we have it in the setting of a girl because it’s more relatable. It’s something that people can understand. That’s what we do all of the time."
The members of Cyrus' band wore masks during the performances. Cyrus is promoting her new single, "Midnight Sky," which currently sits at No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, having peaked at No. 14. It's from an upcoming album, She Is Miley Cyrus, which doesn't have a release date yet.
Watch Miley Cyrus Perform 'Heart of Glass'
Watch Miley Cyrus Perform 'Maneater'