Miley Cyrus Finds Peace in Change
Many of us are afraid of change. We are afraid to change our style or our go-to coffee order; we are afraid of changes in our relationships, and changes within ourselves. For a long time now, Miley Cyrus embraced change.
We know and love the singer-songwriter from the hit show, Hannah Montana. Hannah Montana was an icon for many, myself included. So iconic, in fact, that with the help of my kindergarten girlfriends, we performed the Hannah Montana theme song at our school’s weekly talent show (We killed it, of course). Yet, despite Cyrus’s legendary Disney role, the experience was jaded by the body dysmorphia she developed as a result of living Hannah’s double life. “I had been made pretty every day for so long, and then when I wasn't on that show, it was like, 'Who the f— am I?” she revealed to People magazine in 2021.
Image courtesy of Tiger Beat
The following year marked the 15-year anniversary of Hannah Montana. In an interview with Kevin Hart, Cyrus spoke about her feelings regarding the anniversary. She thought about what she wanted to do and who she wanted to be for the next 15 years. What Cyrus realized was that she wanted to find peace.
In addition to Cyrus’ struggle with self-love and acceptance as a teen, in her later adult life, she not only lost her grandmother, but also went through a very public divorce from a 10-year-long relationship, and lost her home in Malibu to a wildfire. Despite these traumatic events, Cyrus remained strong and didn’t lose her stride. “I heal through movement,” she told Vanity Fair in 2020, “As you lose one person, another person comes into your life.” This acceptance of loss and new beginnings is also seen in her vocal journey.
Many fans have noticed the lower register Cyrus’ voice has taken on over the past few years. When asked about this change, Cyrus explained on an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast that the cause is from years of non-stop singing and touring. Like many things that come her way, Cyrus sees the loss of her smooth and higher voice as a positive thing. “The voice is like a face. It collects wrinkles and tells a story,” she explains, “...I’ve really noticed a change in my voice, kind of a heaviness to it, but I’ve experienced some heavy things… it’s kind of a scar in a sense.” Cyrus wears this scar proudly and isn’t ashamed to flaunt it in her music.
Released in 2020, Cyrus’ seventh studio album Plastic Hearts contains many songs that showcase the grit and power of her voice. My two personal favorites, “Gimme What I Want” and “Never Be Me” encapsulates the album's themes of self-love and independence. This album, a fusion of rock and pop, is a big shift from her previous album, Younger Now (2017), which is primarily country pop and taps into Cyrus’ Tennessee roots. The folky sounds of this era were reflected in the artist's fashion style. She often wore retro, country-style outfits in music videos and performances. Two years before, however, Cyrus was dressed as a giant stick of butter and wore strap-on dildos as accessories during her tour for Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz. The psychedelic and experimental melodies of this 2015 album again contrasted with her later projects.
Image courtesy of Dayton Daily News
Yet, Cyrus’ diverse musical and fashion eras may not be as random as they seem. Commenting on the aesthetic difference between Younger Now and Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, Cyrus says that they’re “...two very different visuals, but what binds them together is that they are both me” she tells NME Magazine. The changes in her professional career have been successful because she has never lost sight of who she truly is. Cyrus’s embrace of her multifaceted artistry and persona is what draws fans in.
Image courtesy of MTV
Cyrus continues to explore new genres of music in her new hit song, “Flowers.” Released in January of this year, the disco pop song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has become the most streamed song in a single week in Spotify history. March 10th is circled in bright red on my calendar, which is when the full album, Endless Summer Vacation, will be released. It’s clear the singer has finally found peace, which is within her endless evolution as an artist and as a person.
Instagram: @oliviatonng
Sources:
https://people.com/music/miley-cyrus-career-evolution-child-star-music-icon/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1415323/bio