At last year’s MTV VMAs, Miley Cyrus officially brought the word 'twerk' into the mainstream.

This year, though, the Wrecking Ball singer has decided to pass her mantle to another lady with back: Nicki Minaj.

“With that ass … I ain’t got that ass,” the Video of the Year nominee told MTV US'Sway Calloway when he asked her about the fact that Anaconda recently broke Wrecking Ball”s record for the most views in 24 hours.

[related]“I can bring that body, I can bring that wrecking ball, but I can’t bring that ass. Not that Anaconda.”

Dressed in a demure — by Miley standards — black leather dress with safety pins in her earlobes (maybe a nod to newly kindled interest punk rock?),

Miley announced to Sway and pre-show host Lucy Hale: “I’ve retired (from twerking), yeah. I’m making some music right now with The Flaming Lips. It’s different. It’s a little psychedelic.”

Yup, it looks like Cyrus is reinventing herself — yet again. However, her dedication to the music remains consistent. “I live to be in the studio, that’s my favourite part, is bunkering down, working on a record,” she said.

“This record might take me five years. I don’t know. I’m just going to work on it until I’m done.

“It’s not about twerking — it’s about music,” she added.

We’re excited to see what post-twerk Miley is up to — even if that means waiting half a decade for her to emerge from that giant teddybear-shaped cocoon.

Watch the 2014 MTV VMAs Monday at 9pm on MTV UK.