A Human Playlist
More than most festivals, ACL’s strength lies in its genre-agnostic curation, mirroring the playlist-driven way we consume music today. A great headliner here can’t just stick to one sound; they need to be a human playlist. Miley Cyrus’s career is the definition
of this, a journey from bubblegum pop to hip-hop-inflected bangers, and from heartfelt ballads to full-throated rock and roll. Her 2021 headlining set was a masterclass in this variety. She roared through a rock-heavy version of “We Can’t Stop” that incorporated parts of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?,” paid homage to rock gods with covers of Blondie and Janis Joplin, and then delivered powerhouse pop anthems like “Wrecking Ball.” This ability to pivot from genre to genre isn't just a gimmick; it’s a reflection of the festival's own identity, where you can wander from a folk troubadour to a DJ to a rock band without missing a beat.
The Ultimate Hostess
A festival crowd of thousands isn’t just an audience; it’s a temporary community. A true headliner has to be its leader, its host, and its heart. Cyrus owned the ACL stage like she was throwing a massive party for her closest friends. Her performance wasn't a distant, untouchable spectacle; it was an invitation. She constantly encouraged the crowd to sing and dance with her, turning her set into a dialogue. Even when technical difficulties with her in-ear monitors arose during the finale of “Party in the U.S.A.,” it didn't matter. She let the massive crowd take the lead, and they happily sang the anthem that defined a chunk of their adolescence back to her. That's the communal energy the headline talks about—a moment where the barrier between artist and fan dissolves into a shared, joyous noise.
A Setlist That Unites
In a sprawling field like Zilker Park, you have every type of music fan imaginable. The challenge is to create a moment that unites them. Cyrus’s setlist was brilliantly constructed to do just that, offering something for everyone who had tracked her journey. For the Day One fans, she delivered nostalgic, decade-old hits like “7 Things” and “The Climb.” The singalong for “The Climb” was described as receiving an almost “worshipful” response, with audience members fighting back tears as they screamed every word. For those who came for the polished pop star, “Wrecking Ball” and “Party in the U.S.A.” were explosive moments of collective joy. And for the rock purists, her powerhouse vocals on classic covers proved she has the grit and gravity to stand alongside the greats. This wasn't just a collection of songs; it was a narrative of growing up, with Cyrus acknowledging as much, telling the crowd, “some of us may have grown up together.”
An Authenticity That Fits
Austin’s unofficial motto is “Keep Austin Weird,” a celebration of authenticity and a rejection of sterile conformity. Miley Cyrus, an artist who has spent her career shedding skins and refusing to be boxed in, is the living embodiment of that ethos. Her stage presence is raw, dynamic, and unapologetically herself. She doesn’t just perform; she connects. She has the studied dynamism of someone who has spent more than half her life on the world's biggest stages, but it's matched with a freewheeling spirit that feels entirely unscripted. This combination of slick professionalism and raw authenticity is what makes an artist feel at home at ACL. She wasn’t just a pop star visiting Austin for the weekend; she felt like a kindred spirit, reflecting the city’s own vibrant, unpredictable, and fiercely independent energy.
