Burning to the Sky: Miley Cyrus

Something Beautiful

By Gord Ellis

Miley Cyrus is forging a unique musical career in an age when it has never been more difficult to be relevant. Cyrus is also one of those generational artists who is improving with age. Her songwriting, singing, and soulfulness have bloomed in her late 20s and 30s. She may be as close to a Dolly Parton-level crossover star as we will ever see in the 2020s.

And yes, Dolly is Miley’s godmother, so there is that connection. Yet Miley can shapeshift through genres in ways that very few artists can, which is also one of Dolly’s superpowers. However, Dolly never really rocked out—at least, not until she dropped her Rockstar album in 2023. On the other hand, Miley Cyrus can rock out with the best of them. She can go toe-to-toe with Billy Idol and absolutely scorches on songs like Blondie’s “Heart of Glass.” Her voice has the incredible ability to sound like the artist she is covering, while sounding completely like herself.

Cyrus also has a good feel for the rootsy, Americana side of popular music. One of the first times I really was floored by her was an acoustic performance she did several years ago of Dylan’s “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go.” There are zillions of Dylan covers by many artists of all genres, yet there was something about Cyrus’s voice on the song that made me believe she had gotten inside of it. There were no vocal flourishes or reinventions of the melody. She just sang it straight and from the heart.

Cyrus seems to do covers mostly for fun, and to show off her eclectic and wide-ranging taste in music. Yet she has proven to be a fantastic writer and artist in her own right. There are several Miley Cyrus songs that have been both big hits and groundbreaking records. Perhaps the greatest of them all is “Flowers,” from her 2023 album Endless Summer Vacation. Yes, “Flowers” is famously a goodbye-and-good-riddance breakup song. It also has one of the coolest, slinkiest vibes you will ever hear on a pop record. It effortlessly moves from funk to rock to pop, and Cyrus’s vocals soar and swoop through the incredible arrangement. While Cyrus did co-write this song with two other musicians, it is indelibly her song. You can feel it. It’s empowering, fun, and ultra catchy.

Which brings us to Something Beautiful, the ninth studio album by Cyrus, released last month. The album will also be accompanied by a film of the same name. Cyrus has said the album will be centered around healing from trauma and finding beauty in the darkest moments of life. The lead single, “End of the World,” was released on April 3, and mines an ABBA-esque groove and feel with thickly layered vocals. The lyrics hint at the existential crisis many of us have been feeling for quite some time.

Today you woke up and you told me that you wanted to cry
The sky was fallin’ like a comet on the Fourth of July
Baby, you’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout the future like it’s already yours
Show me how you’d hold me if tomorrow wasn’t coming for sure.

It’s a great pop/dance record and will undoubtedly be a hit. Another new track, “Prelude,” is a synth-heavy, cinematic, spoken word epic that is a long way from anything she has done before.    

But so far, the standout of Something Beautiful is the title track. It starts as a slow-burn, R&B ballad, then somehow morphs into something that reminds me of both the Beatles and Pink Floyd. The song is unique, challenging, and brilliant. Cyrus’s vocal is upfront and immaculate.

The year 2025 is going to be a big year for Miley Cyrus. And I am here for it.