Why Australia’s bushfires hit Miley Cyrus close to home
After considering Australia her “second home” for more than a decade, Miley Cyrus is solidifying the relationship with an upcoming bushfire relief concert set to benefit Victoria’s worst affected areas.
Entertainment
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Miley Cyrus’ devastation at losing her own home to massive blazes in the US spurred her to perform at Melbourne’s bushfire relief concert.
The 27-year-old’s new boyfriend, LA-based Aussie singer Cody Simpson, will accompany her on the trip.
Cyrus’s Malibu home, which she had shared with ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, was destroyed two years ago.
“We lost our place in Malibu to fires, so I have a personal connection to that sense of loss and displacement,” Cyrus said.
“People lose their homes, you have nowhere to go back to, also losing these tiny sentimental things that might seem like nothing to other people like pictures, birthday cards and videos.
“I didn’t lose any of my animals, we were able to successfully get them out of our farm but not everyone’s been as fortunate in Australia.”
Cyrus will play at Lakeside Stadium alongside the Grand Prix track in Albert Park on March 13.
US rapper Lil Nas X, who had a hit with Cyrus’ father Billy Ray, and local pop duo The Veronicas will join her.
The cost of general admission tickets for Cyrus’s show, less ticket agency fees, will go to the WWF Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.
Animal lover Cyrus, who calls Australia her “second home”, was horrified at images of burnt koalas which went global.
“Seeing the images circulating online of the koalas and people’s homes being destroyed and stories of families losing everything and communities losing everything they have — it was just devastating,’’ Cyrus said.
“I’ve spent the last 10 or 12 years really considering Australia a second home for me.
“I’ve always felt really attached to it, it felt like Nashville but with beautiful beaches.
“I remember visiting Melbourne one of the first times I went to Australia, and going to a cafe and there were peacocks and cows running around. I remember sending my dad a photo of cows next to an ocean, he’d never seen anything like it.”
While Simpson will be alongside his new beau, fans are unlikely to see them collaborate on stage.
“He’ll be coming as a support system, we won’t actually work together. He’s never seen one of my shows before so that’s going to be cool,’’ Cyrus said.
The setlist for the star’s show will be similar to her Glastonbury festival show last year.
It will include a mix of her greatest hits from “See You Again” to “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” plus covers of acts as diverse as Nine Inch Nails and her godmother Dolly Parton.
“I’m also going to do ‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl’ by Jet because I want to do a song by a Melbourne band and I’m bringing Lil Nas X out, which I’m stoked about because he’s never been to Australia before so I can be his guide,’’ Cyrus said.
Tickets are available from Ticketek.
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