Warning: graphic images include body suspension, and piercing.
R&B singer Miguel has new music on the way that will see him achieve new heights — literally.
On Aug. 25, the “Adorn” singer hosted a special preview at Sony Studios for his newest album, Viscera, where he stunned fans with a shocking performance that will make your skin crawl.
On stage, a shirtless Miguel was accompanied by staff who pierced metal hooks through his back to attach him to wires dangling from the ceiling.
A closer glance revealed that the metal hook was pulling on his bare skin.
Suspended from the air, he performed a new song, singing the lyrics “I’m hanging onto nothing/ I’m hanging from the ceiling,” bringing the intensity of his art to life.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Miguel explained the reason behind this bone-chilling stunt. “Anyone who’s here for the one-dimensional version of me is not really here for me,” he said.
Regarding the body suspension, Miguel intended to push himself beyond his limits. “Initially, it was a bit of, ‘What is the most extreme way to push outside of what’s expected?’” Miguel said. “How far can I go in demonstrating how far I’m willing to go for art, for conversation?
“I couldn’t have known how committed I was to the real purpose of this shit until I had hooks in my back.”
Miguel’s had a successful career so far, but it’s clear he’s attempting to move far beyond the most unfortunate moments of his past. While his classic song “Sure Thing” is gaining popularity on TikTok, you might also remember ten years ago at Billboard Music Awards when Miguel’s stage leap fell short and he landed on a fan’s head while kicking another in the face.
He reflected on that unfortunate situation through his new music and attempts to push himself to new heights. “I was such a different person at the time, and it meant so much more to me — it was massive,” he said.
“Listen, I will go for it — that’s who I am,” he added. “Sometimes you go for it, and it just doesn’t work out. And that was one time it did not work out.”
Miguel said the new album Visecra is more than just jaw-dropping stunts. It’s a representation of the “manic nature of growth.”
“I’m not even going to mince words. I’m gonna keep it a buck,” Miguel said. “I came up in a time where the industry was very different. And the promo department at the label was very antiquated. What I was doing and the artist that I knew that I was, there was no real space for that at the time.”
Now, the industry has enough space to hang from the ceiling, and Miguel is taking his chance.
Ouch.