Captivated by Noah Cyrus
Photographs by Sara Regan (Elytssara)
GRAMMY Award-nominated Noah Cyrus and multi-Platinum singer-songwriter has graced Aussie fans with TWO exclusive headline shows of her ‘The Hardest Part’ Tour this week - the first at Sydney's Metro Theatre, and Thursday night at a sold out 170 Russell in Melbourne.
Cyrus opened the set with ‘Noah (Stand Still)’, a deeply powerful tune written during the early stage of her recovery from addiction. Her father reminded her, that when amongst the chaos, confusion and heaviness of life, sometimes the best thing to do is to just stay grounded and stand still.
The opening line, “When I turned twenty, I was overcome / With the thought that I might not turn twenty-one”, had the audience captivated from the get-go, building instrumentally and vocally as the hope for her future grows.
A third of the set Noah shared the stage with friend, collaborator and opening act PJ Harding. In 2021, Cyrus and Harding released their collaborative EP 'People Don’t Change’, and before their Sydney show - the previous night -, had never performed together live. The two treated the audience to a stripped-back acoustic set of ‘You Belong to Somebody Else’, ‘Cannonball’ and ‘Dear August’ fans soothed by the sounds of their sweet vocals and simple strums. Their onstage chemistry was undeniable and, selfishly, I hope to see many MANY more tracks released from the duo.
A highlight of the night was none other than ‘I Burned LA Down’, the first single released from her 2022 album ‘The Hardest Part’: a track with uncomplicated instrumentals and gut-wrenching lyrics, cries for the attention of a lover. It was here that Cyrus’ southern twang became more pronounced, as she grappled with the idea of giving her all to somebody who never deserved it. The line “You can’t make a god / of somebody who's not even / half of a half decent man”, was belted out by the entire crowd with such fervour that it was hard not to well up just a little, if there was a moment that made clear Noah has tapped into something special and universal, it was this one.
Sending her audience home with a reminder that all we have is right now, Noah closed out the show with 'The End of Everything' - the final track from her debut album. Delivering bittersweet lines like “Everything you fear is gonna end / All your hate and hurt lost to the wind”. With a powerful vocal presence, Cyrus' performance ended as it began - raw, honest and thought-provoking..
Noah writes well beyond her years, exploring her deeply personal experiences while maintaining relatability. Her music towes the line of pop/country/bluegrass and rock, something entirely of her own. Cyrus’ live performances have no doubt captivated and hypnotised her audiences. If you missed her headline gigs, you can catch her at this year's Splendour In The Grass Festival in Byron Bay on Sunday the 23rd of July.