Miley Cyrus’ last album, the rootsy Younger Now was widely known as a departure from her 2013 pop record Bangerz. But the release of her new single “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” alongside Mark Ronson signals that the singer is ready to return to full-on pop.
For the Matt Damon-hosted Christmas episode of Saturday Night Live, Cyrus returned to Studio 8H on December 15th for her fourth appearance as musical guest on the show, performing a dramatic rendition of “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” with Ronson. While Ronson plucked the acoustic guitar, Cyrus crooned the single over a backdrop of a climactic car chase from the song’s music video while sporting a platinum suit.
Later in the show, Cyrus opted for a more festive look pairing a red cocktail dress with the poinsettia stage design for her cover of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” with Ronson and Sean Ono Lennon.