Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” music video was directed by Terry Richardson in 2013.
The video uses stark imagery to match the song’s themes of emotional destruction and vulnerability. Cyrus is shown swinging on a wrecking ball, standing in a stripped-down construction setting, and singing directly to the camera. The simple central image made the clip immediately recognizable and helped it become one of the most discussed pop videos of the year.
“Wrecking Ball” was released as the second single from Cyrus’s 2013 album Bangerz. The song became her first U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number one, while the video accumulated enormous online viewership.
The director is sometimes confused with Diane Martel, who directed Cyrus’s earlier “We Can’t Stop” video, or with other filmmakers associated with the Bangerz era. Richardson’s visual approach for “Wrecking Ball” emphasized minimal sets and close-up performance rather than a densely plotted narrative.