Love Me Better: A review of Miley Cyrus’s latest hit single “Flowers”

“Nobody’s Perfect,” “Wrecking Ball,” “Party In The U.S.A” and now “Flowers” — the newest addition to the ever-growing list of iconic singles by pop legend Miley Cyrus. 

Cyrus released the lyrically bold single on Jan. 13, her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth’s birthday. She’s so petty. I love it. 

“Flowers” is an interpolation of Bruno Mars’s 2012 hit “When I Was Your Man,” which Hemsworth supposedly dedicated to Cyrus during their relationship. She altered the melody with a stronger base and a techno beat, and many of her lyrics parallel his. She guaranteed a bop by playing off the already-proven popular melody. Where Mars would normally sing, “I should’ve bought you flowers,” she belts, “I can buy myself flowers.” Goosebumps.

The single is catchy and upbeat with empowering lyrics that demonstrate Cyrus’s post-divorce personal growth. It’s a song worthy of Top 40 that actually says something and leaves you feeling stronger, which we’ve been severely lacking lately. 

This is an anthem for every independent woman.

Even though I’ve been desperate for a rock album from Cyrus since she covered Blondie’s “Heart of Glass,” I respect her comeback to pop after a three-year hiatus. And who knows, the potentially coming album could still have a strong rock motif even though the single doesn’t.

My only qualm with “Flowers” is that it seems like she was just making the safe decision with a pop single. She does pop well, but I’ve loved watching her branch out with recent rock covers and want to see her delve further into that genre with her own work. 

Along with the single, she released a music video where she arrives in a jaw-dropping ‘91 YSL gold dress, struts around a magnificent Hollywood mansion, works out to symbolize her regaining strength, washes herself off and emerges, dancing freely in a power suit. 

However, it seems her work isn’t enough. There are a ton of salacious rumors circulating on TikTok right now about details of the song and the music video, including baseless speculations that the video was filmed in the house that Hemsworth cheated on her in. People crave a higher level of drama. Were her scathing lyrics — and not to mention her release date — not enough?

So, regardless of my desire for a rock album or the rumors surrounding “Flowers,” Cyrus has gifted us the ultimate evolved breakup bop to kick off 2023.