-Welcome back.
I'm hanging out with Miley Cyrus, everybody.
I'm so happy you're here. Thank you so much.
Congrats on a new song, "Midnight Sky."
I loved it. I knew you were gonna
put something out. I was like, "You can't
not do --" You're always doing something cool.
But this is a good vibe. I love it.
It's a great song.
And there's a little sample in there of "Edge of 17"
by Stevie Nicks. -Yes.
-Did you ask Stevie for permission to use the song?
-I have the coolest letter ever from Stevie, too.
And about -- I sent her the song
and I said, "I have an alternate melody,
if you don't want me to kind of, like,
pay tribute to you and your greatness
and how much you've inspired me."
And she said, "You can borrow from me anytime."
-Oh! -Which, you know, now
you asked me about kind of new artists
and what my advice would be for them.
And one thing that I've just learned from her,
from Dolly, Joan, you know, all in the same as that,
they are so open and welcoming
to the newer members, the younger artists coming up.
And they offer their mentorship.
And it's just been really incredibly important
in my career, having someone like her
to look up to. You know, like,
everyone looks up to Stevie Nicks,
but having that direct relationship
has been just, you know, kind of life-changing
and just so important.
-It fits so perfect in the song, too.
I'm so happy she said yes. It's great.
-Me too.
-You always throw curveballs, though.
Because you put something out, and you go --
oh, my gosh, like something like "Bangerz,"
then you also put out, like, "Malibu,"
and you're like, "What?!"
Like, "We didn't see that coming at all!"
You're like, "Yeah, I can do that, too."
-And I never see it coming either.
That's the good thing. That's what we all are
experiencing it at the same time.
'Cause I never know -- I never could have written it.
Especially what's really interesting
that I've never experienced before
is "Midnight Sky" was almost written in kind of two parts.
The idea was kind of born before 2020,
maybe towards the end of 2019, last year, or early in the year,
me really feeling like I want to take control of that narrative,
I want to speak up for myself
and be clear about the last two years.
And, actually, I did the "Morrison Hotel" anniversary.
I got to play with the Doors. -Oh!
-And that was the last time that I went out before corona.
And so I went out at the best time.
And me and it was, like, Linda Ramone and Billy
and all the greats. And I was getting to perform --
I was getting to perform with Robby.
It was just the coolest.
And then everything stopped, like, the next week.
And what was kind of cool about writing "Midnight Sky"
is I was writing from a reality that, actually, when it says,
"It's been a long night and the mirror's telling me to go home,"
it's actually about, at the end of the night, that night,
I went to take a picture of everyone,
'cause I was with such icons, but it was selfie mode.
-[ Gasps ] -And I had been sweating
and dancing all night. -[ Laughs ] Be like...
-Basically, my phone yelled, "Go get in the car."
-"Go home." Yeah. -"Go."
My mullet was flat. My lashes were falling off.
And so I wrote it from that reality.
But then I also then wrote it -- didn't finish the song
till, you know, three, four months later into lockdown.
So then it became kind of about a fantasy --
this night that, like, it almost felt unfinished.
So it was writing from a surreal point of view,
but also from a real night that I had with these legends.
So, I've never written a song in two parts like that.
-You're performing two songs tonight.
Thank you for doing that.
"Midnight Sky," and you're also doing
a cover of "Maneater" by Hall & Oates.
-Yeah. -Alright, come on!
How did you choose "Maneater"? I love that song.
-So, "Maneater" --
I think it's very important to be transparent.
So, I'm freshly single.
So, anyone watching that's my future ex-husband
just knows I told you. -[ Laughs ]
-"I told you, man. You can't be surprised," yeah.
-Yeah, I just wear it all out in the open.
There's no skeletons in the closet.
I warned you first.
-Man, I've seen you do covers of a bunch of songs.
And every single time, you crush it.
What was the one you did right in front of Paul Simon
at the "SNL"? -Oh, man, "50 Ways."
-"50 Ways" in front of -- I was looking at you,
but also looking at Paul Simon. I'm like...
-I remember -- I remember telling Lorne Michaels
I was gonna do "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover."
And he said, "We've already got Paul Simon.
We don't need that on our show." -[ Laughs ]
Like, "If we want '50 Ways,' we'll get Paul Simon.
He's, like, my best friend." -"He's here."
-Yeah, "He's already here."
But I sent in a tape -- like, an audition -- to Lorne,
and said, "Please let me do this song,"
'cause I was just feeling that way so much.
And he let me do it, and it was -- honestly,
it was the biggest honor of my life, getting to perform.
Also the scariest thing I've ever done.
I've jumped out of planes after eating like five burritos.
I've done crazy stuff. -That was the craziest thing
I've ever done. -And you nailed it.