Miley Cyrus bared her soul with a powerful performance of her new breakup balled, “Slide Away,” at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards in Newark, New Jersey, on Monday night.
The 26-year-old, who recently announced her split from husband Liam Hemsworth after less than a year marriage, performed her new single in a short black dress with stilettos, backed by musicians.
The emotional song begins with Cyrus crooning, “Once upon it was paradise, once upon a time I was paralyzed / I think I’m gonna miss these harbor lights / But it’s time to let it go.”
Some fans think lyrics like “I want my house in the hills / don’t want the whiskey and pills,” allude to substance abuse on Hemsworth’s part.
Cyrus recently rejected rumors that she’d cheated on Hemsworth in a statement on social media last week a day after he filed for divorce.
“I can accept that the life I’ve chosen means I must live completely open and transparent with my fans who I love, and the public, 100% of the time,” she wrote. “What I cannot accept is being told I’m lying to cover up a crime I haven’t committed. I have nothing to hide.”
“I can admit to a lot of things but I refuse to admit that my marriage ended because of cheating,” Cyrus continued. “Liam and I have been together for a decade. I’ve said it before & it remains true, I love Liam and always will.”
Hemsworth made similar comments about his split from Cyrus, writing on Instagram that he wishes her “nothing but health and happiness going forward.”
The two announced their separation after less than a year of marriage in a joint statement after photos showed Cyrus kissing reality TV star Kaitlynn Carter.
“Liam and Miley have agreed to separate at this time,” the statement read. “Ever-evolving, changing as partners and individuals, they have decided this is what’s best while they both focus on themselves and careers.”