Miley Cyrus' tribute to Wrecking Ball video in VMAs performance

Miley Cyrus's VMAs performance was a throwback to a 2013 music video. Photo / Getty Images

Miley Cyrus performed her new single Midnight Sky at this year's MTV Video Music Awards in a not-so-subtle tribute to her Wrecking Ball video.

Cyrus performed a stripped-back version of her newest single under red lighting dressed in a black dress, stilettos and rhinestone bangles, according to Entertainment Weekly.

She then marched up a glowing staircase towards a disco ball hanging from a chain before pulling off her skirt and climbing on it in a visual homage to her 2013 Wrecking Ball video.

The Malibu singer has expressed regret over the Wrecking Ball music video in the past.

She said in 2017, "That's something you can't take away ... swinging around naked on a wrecking ball lives forever. Once you do that in the mass that I did, it's forever."

But it seems she's reclaimed it with her newest performance.

Cyrus was nominated for three VMAs this year: best art direction and best editing for Mother's Daughter and song of the summer for Midnight Sky.

The performance comes after she debuted her emotional breakup anthem Slide Away at last year's VMAs.

"Midnight Sky" was released in August as the third single off her delayed upcoming album She Is Miley Cyrus.

Cyrus was just one of the several high-profile artists to perform at this year's VMAs. BTS, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, the Black Eyed Peas and more also took to the stage.