Miley Cyrus on Retiring from Touring, Britney Spears and Why Beyoncé’s Work Ethic Gives Her Chills

During a recent conversation with Billboard News’ Tetris Kelly, held at a press event for Avatar: Fire and Ash (for which she contributed the original song “Dream as One”), Miley Cyrus explained her decision to forgo large-scale touring for the foreseeable future.

Cyrus said she has chosen to focus on smaller, more manageable performances to protect her mental health and sobriety. She hasn’t mounted a traditional, arena-level tour since her 2014 Bangerz run and prefers settings that preserve a direct connection with listeners.

“My favorite thing is performing in hotel lobbies — then I can go straight to my room afterward,” she told Billboard. She described the backstage reality of big venues as impersonal and unappealing, noting that the locker-room atmosphere doesn’t match the intimacy audiences expect.

Cyrus added that she needs a “heart-on-fire” feeling to commit to a project, and very large productions with thousands of attendees dilute that one-on-one spark. Lately, she’s chosen to play intimate shows — from a surprise set at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles to a Spotify Billions Club performance in Paris.

One exception to her scaled-back approach came when she joined Beyoncé onstage during a Cowboy Carter Tour stop to perform their duet “II Most Wanted.” Recalling the moment at Stade de France in 2024, Cyrus praised Beyoncé’s presence and professionalism, saying the star was everything you’d hope for in person.

While Cyrus says large tours aren’t for her now, she acknowledged that Beyoncé clearly thrives on the rigors and joys of touring. “When we talk about that heart-on-fire feeling, she has it for putting the show together,” Cyrus said, explaining that watching Beyoncé rehearse and perform gave her chills.

The interview also covered personal milestones: Cyrus recently became engaged to longtime partner Maxx Morando and reflected on the upcoming 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana. Asked which collaboration she valued most, she singled out Beyoncé, saying the experience felt so complete she could have ended the night satisfied.

When prompted about her “SMS (Bangerz)” collaboration with Britney Spears, Cyrus quipped that choosing between Britney and Beyoncé would be a win either way. She also insisted she wouldn’t remove Spears from the lyrics of her 2009 hit “Party in the U.S.A.” if asked to modernize the song — “I’m not taking Britney out,” she said.

Watch Billboard’s full interview with Miley Cyrus above for the complete conversation.

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