Miley Cyrus has been in the public eye for 20 years and like Hannah Montana — the Disney Channel character that made her a star — Cyrus has consistently changed identities.
Just like the public hasn't fully figured her out, Cyrus says she hasn't been able to either.
"I think I've always admired and somewhat envy people that know just exactly who they are," Cyrus told Morning Edition. "I have a couple of friends in my life, they show me pictures of them as a baby, and they look the same. You look at pictures of me as a child, and I'm in a Hannah wig, and then I'm making Bangerz… I'm all over the place. I've just never really been a super consistent person."
That lack of consistency has led to constant musical discovery for Cyrus, and it comes across in Something Beautiful, her latest album released in May, which is getting a deluxe version out today. The pop album is a kaleidoscope of genres, like disco, jazz, soul, R&B, and psychedelic, among a few.
The deluxe version features two new songs, including one collaboration with two legendary musicians. In "Secrets," she gets an assist from Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac.
Cyrus wrote the song about her relationship with her dad, country musician Billy Ray Cyrus, who played her father in all four seasons of Hannah Montana. After her parents divorced after nearly 30 years of marriage in 2022, Cyrus and her father became estranged for years.
She said recording 'Secrets" was a gift and a peace offering to him and that they have a relationship again.
"I wanted him to know that I'm grown now, and I'm a safe space for him. I'm as much a friend as I am his kid," said Cyrus. "That's what this song was really about for me. Being that place that my dad feels safe…if you don't take my hand as I reach it out, I'm going to chase you because I want that relationship in my life."
The second new song in the deluxe album is a 13-minute psychedelic collaboration with David Byrne, lead singer and songwriter for The Talking Heads, called "Lockdown."
Cyrus said the song is a love letter to Byrne, meant to show him the influence he has had.
"He's perfect for me because he really loves and appreciates pop music. When you think about Talking Heads, I would say they're one of the best pop bands ever because I always thought of their hooks and their melodies as very popular songs," Cyrus said. "David Byrne, in his right, just like a Bowie…is just one of the best when it comes to hook and melody and the orchestration. That's something that really inspired me on 'Lockdown.'"
Miley Cyrus has experimented with different music styles and collaborated with artists throughout her career. And that has paid off.
Over the past two years, Cyrus won her first three Grammys, two for her hit song "Flowers" and the other with Beyoncé for the country song "II MOST WANTED" on Cowboy Carter.
"I'm always really honored if I get some sort of recognition or attention. But it definitely can't become the compass, because I think that's a pretty slippery slope," she said. "I never know what exactly I'm going to do, because I don't feel like there's ever really a clear compass of where we should take it, because it feels like anything could feel authentic."
Barry Gordemer edited the audio version of the story. Obed Manuel edited the digital version of the story.
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