“Wrecking Ball” Premieres on Vevo

The Wrecking Ball has hit. As promised by Smiley herself, the music video for Wrecking Ball debuted today on Vevo. The second single from the highly anticipated Bangerz was promised to the public on September 5^th via the singer’s personal Twitter account. Miley didn’t disappoint.

(Image via)

The new video opens up with Cyrus staring straight into the camera, tears slowly running down her face with no background to speak of. It’s the first 24 seconds of a soul and skin baring video that is confused about whether to be sexy or sad. Whatever it is though, Miley doesn’t hold back and continues to give exactly what she’s been promising to her fans- all of herself.

The 20 year-old dons only white underwear, a white crop top, and Doc Martens while walking through the scene with a sledgehammer and while riding atop the tangible product of the song’s proverbial wrecking ball.

As the song reaches the poignant moments of heartbreak and vulnerability, Miley herself does the same. Naked and swinging on the wrecking ball the pop-star sings, “I can’t live a lie, running for my life. I will always want you.” In those moments her nudity is kept metaphorical, vulnerable, and well timed.  In her all-or-nothing take on life and her profession; Miley plays on the heartstrings of every person that has ever been stripped of themselves in the wake of a relationship ending.

Amid this genuine vulnerability the video is sprinkled with misplaced sexuality. While sex may be the object of Miley’s new image, the provocative licking of the sledgehammer is not in harmony with the message of the song. Her nudity, surprisingly, does not demand sex in the context of Wrecking Ball. The nature of the metaphor is in some sense lost with her sex eyes and the biting of her bottom lip. The sexual innuendos undermine the songs ability to remain genuine, and as a viewer, you can’t help but recall her highly publicized sexual performance at this year’s VMA’s.

Whether there is some incoherence in messaging or not though, Wrecking Ball is set up to become Miley Cyrus’s next hit.

The first single on Miley’s forthcoming album, ‘We Can’t Stop,’ broke the record for most video views on Vevo within 24 hours of release earlier this summer (later surpassed by One Direction’s Best Song Ever).  We’ll watch closely to see how Wrecking Ball fares within the upcoming hours.

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