Miley Cyrus’s latest album, “Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz,” presents the artist’s uncensored stream of consciousness — a refreshing, interesting and raunchy work. This album has earned her both harsh reviews and high praise from many critics. Just recently, the artist released her official video for “BB Talk,” a work full of Miley’s childish antics — a designation that should be taken quite literally.
In the video for “BB Talk,” an inked-up baby Miley rolls around with a super-sized baby bottle, plays in bubble baths, throws food, screams, cries, smokes weed and falls victim to the occasional surprise “poo poo.” Miley’s “Wrecking Ball” persona is a thing of the past, as she amps up the shock value for fans yet again. The song details her struggles with a man whose baby-talk voice presents a deal breaker in an otherwise attractive relationship.
The video juxtaposes the visuals of an innocent child with explicit lyrics characteristic of the new album. Baby Miley starts out playful but eventually breaks into a complete tantrum, representing her flagrant rejection of the awkward behavior of a prior lover. The premise doesn’t come as a huge surprise, as she has been dressing in diapers for her live performance of this song on her tour with The Flaming Lips.
This video is exactly what one would expect, judging by the song and the album as a whole — it’s fun, it’s nonsensical at times, but most importantly, it’s Miley. All eyes are on her throughout the video, as the artist channels her inner infant. Viewers might wonder if her image hasn’t begun to distract from her artistry, an idea 2015 Billboard Woman of The Year Lady Gaga has also dealt with in the past. Also much like Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus has legitimate talent to back her, making her a rare breed of pop star.
While the “Dead Petz” era is certainly a spectacle, hopefully Miley can strike a better balance between art and shock value in her next projects.