Miley’s ninth studio album has officially dropped, complete with four pre-release singles, collaborations from rock royalty, and a 55-minute visual album set to premiere on the festival circuit.
It’s been a whirlwind year for Miley Cyrus so far. She first announced Something Beautiful back in March with grand plans to merge music and cinema in a “visual album” format. The project is rolling out in multiple phases – the album’s 13 original songs have dropped today via Columbia Records, and a 55-minute companion film (co-directed by Cyrus along with collaborators Jacob Bixenman, Brendan Walter, and acclaimed Mandy director Panos Cosmatos) is set to premiere at New York’s Tribeca Festival on June 6, 2025.
The visual component – described by the singer as a “pop opera fueled by fantasy” – draws direct inspiration from Pink Floyd’s The Wall and the surreal horror film Mandy, exploring themes of healing and transformation. Cyrus has been transparent about aiming for rock-opera grandeur. She told Harper’s Bazaar that her concept was essentially The Wall “with a better wardrobe, more glamour, and full of pop culture.” The album’s artwork (shot by fashion photographer Glen Luchford) features Miley draped in vintage 1997 Thierry Mugler couture against a moonlit sky – befitting of the record’s bold, fantastical aesthetic.
Sonically, Something Beautiful finds Miley Cyrus embracing her rock influences without entirely abandoning her pop roots. The album’s production was helmed by Grammy-winning engineer Shawn Everett, known for his work with indie and alternative luminaries (Alabama Shakes, The War on Drugs), bringing a lush yet experimental polish to the sound.
Lyrically, she dives into intimate territory – grappling with heartbreak, self-discovery, and rebirth – in a way that builds on the confessional tone of her recent hits. On the plaintive “More to Lose,” she croons about the fragility of love and fame with cinematic flair, while “Easy Lover” flips to a brighter mood as Miley celebrates new romance in her life. There are also moments of raw vulnerability. Power ballad “Pretend You’re God” finds Cyrus dropping her guard and confronting her insecurities head-on, offering one of the album’s most emotionally resonant performances. Winning over both critics and the public with Endless Summer Vacation (2023) – and the massive success of “Flowers” – has emboldened Cyrus to pour even more of herself into her art.
Cyrus also enlisted an eclectic mix of collaborators to elevate the record’s sonic palette. Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard lends her powerhouse vocals and guitar prowess to the 1980s-tinged rocker “Walk of Fame,” while supermodel Naomi Campbell makes a scene-stealing guest appearance on the sultry track “Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved”. Longtime Miley confidante Maxx Morando – her boyfriend and a drummer – also contributes, playing in Cyrus’s live band and on the record itself. Throughout the album, Cyrus’s voice remains a star attraction – smoky, powerful, and more resonant than ever, it cuts through both the hard-edged rock moments and the glossy pop choruses with impressive depth.
As for what comes next, Cyrus has made it known that Something Beautiful is just the beginning of her next chapter. She has already begun teasing a follow-up project that ventures even further into experimental territory, leaving fans curious whether she’ll dive back into the kind of psychedelic soundscapes she explored on 2015’s Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz or strike out somewhere entirely new.
