Beneath its Glam Rock Exterior, Miley Cyrus’ “Plastic Hearts” is a Message of Growth

By Julia Bernstein

Miley Cyrus’ journey from Disney sweetheart to the modern rock virtuoso has been quite complex, having to overcome a lasting first impression as “Achy Breaky Heart” singer Billy Ray Cyrus’ daughter and, of course, her pop alter ego, Hannah Montana. In her 2010 song “Can’t Be Tamed,” 17-year-old Miley attempted to shed her squeaky clean image with a full artist makeover, transforming into a rebellious and liberated musician. In 2013, her controversial VMA performance alongside Robin Thicke amassed her a ton of backlash; however, this performance shattered her Disney persona, opening the door for some great hits like “Wrecking Ball” and “We Can’t Stop,” which set her on her path as a serious artist. 

Recently, in the midst of a breakup with her decade-long lover Liam Hemsworth, 28-year-old Miley scrapped two unreleased EPs and decided on a new direction; in August, she released her single “Midnight Sky,” a funky, disco track that clued listeners into what was coming. After her “Heart of Glass” cover blew up on TikTok, her fans were sure of one thing: Miley had been robbed of being a rockstar, even though her alter ego Hannah hadn’t. 

In her seventh studio album “Plastic Hearts,” released on November 27th, Miley reflects on her relationships and the hardships of growing up in the public eye. In “Golden G String,” Miley sings beautifully about how society treats young female artists, with this confrontational yet fatalistic lyric: "Oh, that's just the world that we're living in. The old boys hold all the cards and they ain't playing gin." This song does a great job of summing up Miley’s career, with lines like "there are layers to this body, primal sex and primal shame” and “they told me I should cover it, so I went the other way."

When I first listened to this album, Miley’s lyrics struck me as extremely vulnerable and personal. She has been a symbol of confidence among young girls for as long as I can remember, so I can appreciate the strength it must have taken to strip down her lyrics to share her stories of growth, love, and loss. With tracks like the melancholic “Angels Like You” and the euphoric, gospel-inspired “High,” Miley presents her soft, romantic side while showing off her range of vocal talents. 

However, that is not to say that the album presents itself as vulnerable; in fact, it does quite the opposite. Miley steps confidently into a new sound-world of modern rock, with a deep, heavy, rockstar voice (which seems to have undergone a transformation from her earlier music) and a myriad of different musical influences. The experimental album is stacked with features from Dua Lipa, Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and even a Stevie Nicks mashup. Each featured artist elevates a certain sonic identity, whether that be dream pop, post-punk, new wave, hard rock, or 70s inspired soft-rock. The album also features covers of The Cranberries and Blondie, and tracks that allude to everything from Nine Inch Nails industrial rock (my personal favorite) to the electronic soundscape of The Cars. 

Miley’s message of growth in “Plastic Hearts” is loud and clear, and her image is refreshingly authentic, with the album striking a perfect balance between her confidence and vulnerability. And honestly, it’s a banger. But you don’t have to take my word for it: go ahead, take a listen!