The video: Though countless musicians and wannabes have covered Nirvana since Kurt Cobain's death in 1994, few were less likely candidates than Miley Cyrus, who bellowed out an enthusiastic version of the grunge band's classic, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at a teeny-bopper concert in Ecuador. (See the video below.) Adding to the surprise, some commentators are saying that Cyrus's cover "doesn't completely suck."
The reaction: This may be the most "incongruous rendition" of the song ever, says Maureen O'Connor at Gawker. And "I say this as someone who once witnessed a violin-flute duo called Nerdvana at an Illinois summer camp talent show in the '90s." What a cruel twist of fate, says Jeremy at Popbytes. I like Miley Cyrus, but "I can’t help but feel like Kurt Cobain is looking down on us from heaven, shaking his head and saying, 'Oh come on, I can only shoot myself in the face so many times.'" Lay off, says TJ at Neon Limelight. Cyrus gives it her all, and it's "pretty entertaining." Watch the incredulity-provoking performance:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
