Something Beautiful by Miley Cyrus? Kiara says 3.5/5

My relationship with Miley Cyrus started much like many members of Gen Z, with Hannah Montana, the 13-year-old pop star turned icon. Since then, I have approached each Miley Cyrus album release with a healthy amount of anticipation. Her latest album, Something Beautiful, was no different. 

Something Beautiful is a love letter to Miley’s growth as a human being and an artist. On her last album, Endless Summer Vacation, Miley was celebrating her freedom and resistance to being tied down. On “Something Beautiful", she leans into her romantic side and celebrates her long-term relationship with Maxx Morando. The title track is my favorite song on the entire record. Her vocal performance mixed with the production is infectious. 

“End of the World” is the perfect summer bop. It’s actually about her mother/twin, Tish Cyrus, going on vacation without her, and Miley feeling like it was the end of the world. It’s is the type of pop song that Miley has proven time and time again that she excels at.

On “More to Lose,” she is grappling with the decision to end a relationship. This song has its moments, but overall, it's not my favorite. I appreciated the addition of interludes. “Easy Lover” is a certified bop, but the lyrics stand out more than the production. Miley has been very public about not wanting to be tied down, and on this song, she sings about “calling once an hour” and “still missing you when you’re gone.” This is very different from the Miley we knew on the last album. 

Personally, “Golden Burning Sun”, “Walk of Fame”, and “Pretend You’re God” are all objectively good songs, but the production is doing the heavy lifting. I don’t see myself revisiting them. “Walk of Fame” is the strongest of the three, but it doesn’t leave me wanting more. 

One of the biggest standouts on the album is “Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved,” with Naomi Campbell making a guest appearance. It’s easily a top two track. Miley’s vocal production is infectious on this song; Miley’s best when she is allowed to scream and ad-lib at her own will. “Am I pretty enough for more than fun in the dark” is an incredible lyric, and hearing Naomi Campbell say “Botticelli” is enough to keep me coming back.

Overall, I have to say that I was expecting more. I am still obsessed with Endless Summer Vacation and feel it’s a stronger project than Something Beautiful. Her voice, however, has never sounded better. That being said, I like the experimental direction that Miley is going in and the '70s and '80s influences on her sound. I love the personal growth that has inspired the album, but ultimately feel that as an album, it’s not her best work. 

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