Miley Cyrus is kicking off a bold new chapter. On Thursday, Sept. 3, the Grammy-winning artist released “Bass Persuades,” the title track and first single from her upcoming 10th studio album of the same name, due out Sept. 18 via Atlantic Records.

The song marks Cyrus’ first release since 2025’s Something Beautiful and her inaugural project under her new label home, Atlantic Records. It arrives alongside a choreography-heavy music video directed by her longtime collaborator Mert Alas.

The Video: Crashing Poker Games and Taking It to the Streets

The “Bass Persuades” video opens with Cyrus crashing an underground poker game, eventually pulling everyone onto the dance floor. Dressed in black underwear, tights, a leather jacket, and gloves, she leads a troupe of dancers through a moonlit city street as her blonde hair blows in the wind. The performance has drawn comparisons to Michael Jackson’s iconic Thriller video.

The Sound: ’80s Synths and a Call to Put Down the Phone

Sonically, “Bass Persuades” is a propulsive dance-pop track driven by throbbing ’80s-inspired synths. Lyrically, Cyrus urges listeners to disconnect from their screens and reconnect with the moment. “The kids don’t wanna dance,” she declares in the chorus, before inviting: “Let’s surrender to the night, put our bodies close together.” Elsewhere, she critiques modern distraction—singing about being “glued” to a telephone screen and missing the hit without MTV.

A New Name, A New Era

Perhaps the most striking shift is Cyrus’ decision to drop her famous surname. She now goes professionally by simply “Miley,” a change reflected across her social media and website. Her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, publicly voiced his support. “I always called my little girl Miley. Just…Miley,” he wrote on Instagram. “I told @miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name.” He compared her move to other iconic mononym artists like Cher, Elvis, and Prince.

The Album and What’s Next

Bass Persuades is a 10-track album featuring collaborations with New York rock band Model/Actriz and Andrew Wyatt of Swedish pop-rock trio Miike Snow. Confirmed tracks include “Different Religion,” “Let’s Get Married,” “Orbit,” “Aftermath,” “Redlights,” “Neon Signs,” “Innocent Ways,” “Snow,” and a “Bass Persuades Remixx.”

Cyrus will celebrate the release with two headline shows at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 16 and Oct. 18—her first full U.S. concerts since 2021. Model/Actriz will join as special guest. Tickets go on sale through an American Express presale on Sept. 8, followed by Cyrus’ artist presale on Sept. 9, with general sale opening Sept. 10.

In an Instagram post announcing the album, Cyrus reflected on the meaning behind its title: “Music takes hold of us. We feel it, sing it, sometimes dance to it, let it out and carry on. It is powerful, vulnerable, sweet and strong. Heart full, heartache, every part of life in between. That’s what the title means to me.” She added: “Thank you for being a part of making my wildest dreams come true. I sincerely hope you love this album.”

With a new sound, a new name, and a return to the stage, Miley is making one thing clear: the bass is in charge now.