Miley has already had a big year since turning 20th anniversary Hannah Montanaher own Barbie doll and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is her ascent into legendary territory, and she’s celebrating with a new album, a new record deal and a reinvented sound. The lead single “Bass Persuades” was released last week, along with a trendy music video featuring Miley doing some of the best dancing in years. The self-titled album will be released on September 18.th and it looks like she’s more confident than ever.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned how fans online were debating whether her new album would be delayed due to Dolly’s passing. She seems to let the music guide her and move forward, which is exactly what Dolly wanted. Miley is just “Miley” now, and the new era will also mark her return to the stage. On October 16, she will give her first full concert in five years.th and 18th at the Hollywood Bowl, which is especially important considering how adamant she was last year when the topic of touring and live performances came up. Perhaps this was her plan all along – to build anticipation and turn the whole thing into a spectacle, although I doubt it will lead to a world tour, but even just a live broadcast or official release of these two shows will be enough – we’re thirsty here. The new single debuted widely on streaming, but its popularity has slowed down a bit. It peaked at number 10 on Spotify’s US daily chart on its first day, but has since disappeared from the chart. With her new label and promotional campaign planned, it’s hoped the song will return to more neutral chart territory, as it’s the type of track that requires a live performance and some time to simmer. But no matter how “Bass Persuades” hits the charts, one thing is for sure. In terms of quality? Miley did it. She brings glamor and joy to her work in a new way.
Next week, keeping up with Daisy Chain Fields, one of Lilith Fair’s OG artists returns with new music: Paula Cole. This week Miley is joined by ADELA, Beyoncé (with Selena!), Wiz Khalifa and Shay Leah with KAYTRANADA. Plus Karol G with another hit from her new album. No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto.
Listen further…
MC’S CHOICE OF THE WEEK
“Bass Persuades” by Miley Cyrus
Just because she returned to commercial pop music doesn’t mean she abandoned her experimental nature. “Bass Persuades” is a dance-pop song that leans Miley into the pop star she’s always been. The choreography is all over the place, giving us Pat Benatar-level glam rock in her performance, and the lyrics are punchy. She touches on the state of the party scene, saying: “Fentanyl-laced candy that no one wants” encouraging listeners to instead indulge in the intoxication of music rather than drugs, which is a far cry from “We Can’t Stop.” She also points out all the kids today who are glued to their phone screens and how they “missed a hit without MTV.” Everyone is so attuned to their algorithms that there are no “real” stars or hits anymore. There is a deal of truth in it. For Miley’s generation (and for me), MTV was the way to learn what music was and what hits were. Most of the time we were introduced to the song through its video, which gave us a much more interactive and intimate experience with the song. Without the presence of MTV or MuchMusic in Canada, we don’t have many (if any) songs that truly bring us together as a community. The choir speaks for itself – “The children don’t want to dance.” Miley doesn’t care because whether they like it or not, someone is going to dance. She is sure of it – and I know it. It will be interesting to see if Miley will perform the full choreography when she performs it at the Hollywood Bowl in October. It’s been so long since we’ve seen this side of Miley on stage – she’s a total rock star these days. I love her era of dance music. It’s a great addition to her already eclectic discography.
“Nicole Kidman” ADELA
She is pushing the boundaries of her visual work and this has caught the attention of pop music lovers. ADELA builds her brand by setting her own rules in music, and it works. Her new album PRIMA has already been released, and with it the new single and video “Nicole Kidman”. The video is filled with great references to Nicole’s filmography. All of Eyes Wide Shut, Baby, Birth, Moulin Rouge! and even the AMC commercial got a nod in the video. The song quickly became a favorite on the album and caught the attention of the subject – Nicole Kidman. Keep in mind, this was before the song was even released. Nicole said she plans to attend her show in Nashville. It’s safe to say that if your track gets Nicole Kidman’s attention before it even ends, you’re doing something right. It turns out ADELA got Nicole’s permission to use her name before it was even released, but judging by that moment on the red carpet, it seems like Nicole herself loves bad pop music, just like the rest of us. This song also came at the perfect moment. My feed is currently filled with videos of Nicole Kidman looking every bit like a real mother. Practical Magic 2 advertising appearances. In particular, her goddess-like hair was rocking at the premiere. “Nicole Kidman” is the perfect soundtrack to any video dedicated to the icon, and will likely remain so for years to come. Lyrics have also become a fun trend on TikTok, with fans thanking ADÉLA for new “party confirmations,” but they’re just lyrics. “Every night I pray that my breasts sit properly.” Now, that’s prayer.
“IREEMPLAZABLE (COMO LA FLOR)” by Beyoncé and Selena
The Queen continues to find new ways to bless us with every release. 20th anniversary edition of her legendary album Birthday arrived and she gave us some new gifts to celebrate the occasion. One of these gifts is a new duet with Selena. Back in 2007, when she first re-released Birthday, Bea recorded Spanish versions of her hits “Irreplaceable” and “Listen.” Now, two decades later, she’s remixed the Spanish version with vocals from the one and only Selena. I never would have thought that “Como La Flor” would pair so perfectly with “Irreplaceable”, but I think with a timeless melody like the latter, it can really pair well with any song. Beyoncé’s entire music career is genreless, with hits in every possible format, so it’s only natural that she has a song with the queen of Tejano music. I also love it when the eponymous divas join forces. This album already has a song with Shakira, so Selena fits in easily. It was a wonderful way to spend a long weekend, listening to the whimsical sounds of two of the most important women of our time. B Birthday The celebrations have made headlines in the past week. Whether it’s Jay-Z having the entire crowd at his London concerts sing “Happy Birthday” to her, or the empty $948 beekeeping box she sells on her website as part of a souvenir collection. Hate her or love her, she makes you talk and watch. She said it best in 2016 “You know that bitch when you’re causing all this talk.” My conversation will remain about this posthumous collaboration with Selena, let the haters do the rest.
“Yichsen” by Wiz Khalifa
If you’re part of the running community on Instagram, you’ve probably seen one of Wiz’s viral posts about his running journey. The man is quick and shares his workouts. And we all wonder if he still smokes that much, given his recent health setback. It is, and he wants you to know it – significant, if you ask me. “Yiccen” is a classic Wiz track that would fit well on any rap workout playlist. The beat is mind-blowing, giving mid-2000s Three Six Mafia the perfect music to break a sweat to and feel like the strongest version of themselves. The music video is playful, imagine a wild party you throw in a rented house. The cleanup will be quite challenging, but it will make for a good old fashioned house party video. I love the aesthetics and overall art direction of the video. There is some beauty to be found in the chaos of it all. For the most part, though, I’m just a fan of Wiz’s style and overall vibe. Respect, he’s been in the game for two decades.
“SO GOOD” Shay Lia, KAYTRANADA
This song took me back to when I was 18 years old, living in Montreal, and going to a club for the first time. Shay and KAYTRANADA first began collaborating during his Boiler Room performance, which generated a ton of buzz online and in the dance community. The bass is tight and the ringing bells create a magical feeling. At its core, this is the euphoric groove that KAYTRANADA is famous for. I love deep house tunes like these because they are just as effective whether you listen to them on a sunny summer evening or during a rainy thunderstorm. “SO GOOD” is really very good – Shay has a soft timbre to her voice that sounds light as a feather. With a soothing house beat, it’s the perfect end to a summer jam, reminding us all that the party isn’t over yet. Lyrically, the song doesn’t have much depth depending on how you look at it – it’s about letting the music carry you along. “Let the feeling take control” This is one of the lyrics that stands out, allowing you to truly let the music lead the way your body moves on the dance floor. If you look even deeper, you will find a metaphor for how to move in your own life. I always say that music is my anchor. There is something in this song that speaks to me at this point in my life. This feeling takes me somewhere, takes the listener somewhere. This can only be where I need to be if the music guides me.
VIRAL CHOICE MC
“BbY WOW” KAROL G, Judlin, Rusovski
Karol G has another hit with the song “Bby WOW”. If you’ve been listening to her latest album, which just came out in August, this track may have caught your attention. It features a Jamaican riddim tune that was particularly popular in the mid-2000s. You know, the melody that sounds in the songs of Nina Sky, Sean Paul, Pitbull and others. This is actually a sample drum pattern called “Coolie Dance Riddim” that was created by Jamaican producer Cordel Skatta Burrell in 2003. It was on the radio in the mid-2000s and recently made a comeback when Kehlani used it in her 2024 track “After Hours” and French DJ HUGEL used it in his 2025 hit “Jamaican (Bam Bam).” Karol G is the latest artist to use this sample in the updated era. riddim. It gets people all over the world dancing wildly and brings life back into mainstream radio, which has been taken over by the likes of Ella Langley and Morgan Wallen in the last few months. This sound is exactly what radio stations in 2026 need.
Karol G is also currently on tour where she performs this track night after night. Videos of her performances making their way online sparked a dance trend using the song’s choreography, and it set TikTok all over the place. The song reached the top ten on the viral 50 charts and reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the highest charting song from her new album to date. It seems that the children really want to dance.
@amir.karaman BABY 😛 #karolg #bbywow #viral #fyp #music ♬ sonido original – Club Bichota G
@yai_ariza New trend?? DC @me @Chris Hernandez @Denzel Chisolm @MICHAEL RAMOS @Antonio Spinelli ♬ sonido original – 𝕭𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖆 𝕷𝖞𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖘🌀
@tyleralexgeorge_ rehearsal current🙂↕️ @cadenadamonis @Toby DC – @Bigbow3 #jyt #dancechallenge #bbywow #dance ♬ sonido original – ElRolitas
Spotify’s 2026 “MC’s MUSIC LOUNGE” playlist is now available. You can add it here to keep up with my weekly picks throughout the year.
With love,
MK