Miley Cyrus
After Miley Cyrus took a break post-Dead Petz and her re-engagement to Liam Hemsworth, her WME team tapped a small team at Droga5 to pitch ideas for her re-introduction to the world. I worked on music video concepts and a strategy—that helped influence her brand identity and stage presence.
Client: WME x Miley Cyrus
Agency: Droga5
MUSIC VIDEO CONCEPTS
Music video concepts I ideated that were presented to Miley’s previous manager, Adam Leber in Los Angeles by team leads.
MORPHSUITS
Miley is an ever-changing artist, constantly morphing into new forms of herself.
We’ll bring this idea to life in a surrealist film that plays on pop video tropes: she (and her environment) will reform, morph, and change as she gets ready to go out.
We’ll see Miley in her room, trying on many different outfits from her wardrobe. Each time she changes, so will the room. The space itself will start morphing and churning as she undresses and redresses herself. Before long, the room is a full surrealist melt.
The film ends with her engulfed in clothes, the center of a swirling universe. Then, the lights flick on. She has changed. She is ready.
LOVELINES
Identity is a kaleidoscope made up of the people around us.
As our lovers change, we change. In this music video, each line of a ballad is lip-synced by a person that Miley has been intimate with in real-life: from her first kiss partner to ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends, flings, etc.
Revealing who we’ve loved is uncomfortable. If our love takes a shape outside social norms, it may even be dangerous. With a gentle yet fearless shine, Miley will turn that vulnerability into art.
PREHISTORIC SUPERPOSSE
IThe original sin of humanity’s first genocide occured over 40.000 years ago when Homo Sapiens pushed north into Eurasia. Soon after, all other human apes became extinct. According to the ‘Replacement Theory’, we, as homo sapiens, have killed our brothers and sisters, the Neanderthal, Homo Erectus, Homo Rudolfensis, and Homo Ergaster.
This film concept imagines an alternate reality in which this didn’t happen and human apes live alongside each other today.
In a 20-minute, music-filled short film extravaganza we celebrate this scenario. We see Miley going out and living life among the most diverse of all possies of humans, and ultimately challenge notions of Otherness commonly held today by breaking up and expanding the spectrum of what it means to be human.
CREATIVE STRATEGY
One would say Miley’s all over the place. Confused and going through a new phase every year. But it’s not just a phase. As she continues to grow and find her light, she unlocks new parts of herself. Colors— that reflect so deeply within her work and onto others. In a room full of laser beams, she’s a kaleidoscope.
We met with Miley’s team on our creative strategy, and a few months later: VANITY FAIR released her first announcement to the world on her new stance.
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Creative: Mia Madrid
Strategy: Alex Rakestraw, Sarah Garman
ECDs: Feliks Richter, Alex Nowak
Head of Experiential: Justin Durazzo
Head of Music Supervision: Mike Ladmann