Miley Cyrus Really is a Rockstar: A Look at Her New Album ‘Plastic Hearts’
Remember when Hannah Montana—also known as Miley Cyrus—dropped her hit song “Rockstar” and every tween, including myself, pretended they were secretly rock stars too? Well, we don’t have to reminisce too much longer because Cyrus is dropping her first rock album titled “Plastic Hearts” on Nov. 27.
Her single “Midnight Sky” currently has over 84 million views on Youtube, and two live covers are featured on the album: Blondie’s “Heart of Glass,” and The Cranberries’ “Zombie.” In these three songs alone, her voice sounds much more mature, rich, and raw than the radio-pop version we’re all used to. It’s obvious that Cyrus has deserted her Disney star past and “girl next door” facade for a ballad-belting bad ass with a Debbie Harry meets Joan Jett mullet. But this makeover didn’t just happen overnight.
Source: “Plastic Hearts’” by Miley Cyrus
In a handwritten letter affixed with her album’s cover art (above), Cyrus revealed that the original music and songs for this album were lost in a wildfire that took her home and everything she had worked on for two years. She also recently went through a divorce which was a source of inspiration for the album, along with iconic women in rock like Stevie Nicks. To give a nod to Stevie, “Midnight Sky” includes a sample of “Edge of Seventeen” that gives Miley’s song a hint of nostalgia and rememberability.
While we all wait at the edge of our seats for “Plastic Hearts” to be released, it’s important to realize how far Miley has come and how it is reflected in her music. From being Hannah Montana; to the beginning of her solo pop career; to her pixie-haired hip-hop era; to a country influence; to her first rock album— it shows just how versatile and unique Cyrus is as an artist. Like she mentioned in her handwritten note, she rises from the ashes and becomes new each album.
