Miley Cyrus performs 'Midnight Sky' live for the 1st time at VMAs

Miley Cyrus fans know to expect something special whenever their favorite performer takes the stage at the MTV VMAs. It's the perfect locale to let loose and get crazy.

After all, who could ever forget Cyrus' 2013 twerk performance with Robin Thicke? Or her hosting the whole event in 2015? Or even last year's relatively tamer appearance, where she debuted a post-Liam Hemsworth breakup tattoo that had everyone buzzing?

Well, for 2020 it was all about "Midnight Sky," the disco-flavored, spangly song she dropped in mid-August, complete with a self-directed music video. It was her first new music since 2019's EP "She Is Coming," one of three six-song EPs she's promised that would ultimately make up a whole new album, "She Is Miley Cyrus."

But so far, those EPs haven't happened, being delayed at least partially by COVID-19 restrictions and Cyrus' hospitalization for tonsillitis in October. She underwent vocal surgery late last year, as well.

So Sunday's performance was highly anticipated, and while Cyrus didn't quite leave us shocked in our seats, she was still electrifying. We didn't know it at first, but she'd given us a tease for the first few seconds of the performance, which featured Cyrus silhouetted against a white moon-like spotlight, an image she shared on Instagram Saturday:

"Regram: @mtv Tomorrow @vmas performing Midnight Sky live for the first time ever!" she wrote in the caption, which prompted fellow disco queen Kylie Minogue to comment, "That. Looks. Amazing."

We agree!

But during her performance, the silhouette gave way to Cyrus bathed in deep, changing colors. Wearing a throwback '60s haircut and dressed in a slinky, dark lamé dress with a thigh-high slit she pranced and strutted through largely-empty surroundings, then ascended a set of stairs that led her to a disco ball on a chain.

"Wrecking Ball, Part 2"? Not exactly, though she did shed the lower half of her dress and climb atop the disco ball, clearly echoing her infamous music video for her massive 2013 hit, which won her thus-far sole VMA award in 2014, for video of the year.

Nothing like going back to where it all started!