Miley Cyrus’s Super Bowl Pre-Show Was… Something

Super Bowl 2021 had audiences heated as is – with 22,000 fans seated at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida: 7,500 healthcare workers among them. Hardcore fans and casual watchers alike were disappointed at the lack of regulation for the number of people in attendance, sparking endless social media debates about the importance of football in the United States.

As if the amount of people in attendance wasn’t enough, the 7,500 healthcare workers stood between metal barriers with no social distancing guidelines. Each “cubicle” of fans was placed directly next to one another, allowing for free interaction between each square of people. A lot of them weren’t wearing masks, even though (regardless of vaccination status) it is a mandate in most U.S. states. Florida is not one of these states, but not all fans in attendance were Florida natives.

Many publications speak upon the fact that each healthcare worker in the audience was vaccinated, but I’ve rarely seen anyone discussing what all of this might mean for the future of live music. Does this event open up the opportunity for concerts to begin again? Will the organizers of this pre-show rethink their audience guidelines for future shows (despite those who’ve been vaccinated)?

Aside from all of these questions, Cyrus’s performance did show us that bringing live music back is something super beneficial to artists’ mental health. During the performance, Miley gushed about being happy to perform again for a live audience:

            “Not bad for the first concert of 2021. I hope we can have more of these. And that dream can only be made a reality because of people like [health care workers]. Me and my band, this is what we’ve been doing together for longer than I’ve done anything else. It’s just a part of my existence, and a part of my being and identity, and who I am. I know a lot of us have felt like we’ve lost a part of that over the last year in this pandemic, and the way that all of us can get back to doing what we love – being who we want to be, fulfilling our purpose – it doesn’t come without a cost.”

Does it bother anyone that this show was put on – that people were allowed to attend the Super Bowl in general? Let me know in the comments below – and watch part of Cyrus’s performance here!