It’s no secret Miley Cyrus practically raised most of us Gen Z kids. From the Hannah Montana days to her iconic “Wrecking Ball” transition — and don’t forget about her latest rock-style album Plastic Hearts — her music (and influence) has always been nothing short of incredible. There’s no shame in admitting Cyrus is one of few pop queens who has had us hooked for over a decade now, with killer vocals and a badass, girlboss attitude.
So, naturally, when Cyrus announced that a new era is upon us, the internet freaked out a little — especially those of us who have been Cyrus stans since Disney Channel. IMO, she’s one of the only artists who continuously releases bop after bop, constantly surprising me with new styles of music. She’s tried, and slayed, at virtually all genres: Pop, rock, country, ballads, and even rap (remember “23”?). Besides her live album that dropped in April, she hasn’t released a new album in two years. So, we’re not overreacting in freaking out over a possible new release from Cyrus.
But for everyone who missed it, on Dec. 19, Cyrus posted a video to all her social media platforms with the caption, “NEW YEAR. NEW MILEY.” (I know, the suspense!). The video is a time-lapse of cars passing by on a busy street, slowly zooming in on a black poster in the background that also reads, “NEW YEAR NEW MILEY.” The message is side-by-side with posters of ~suggestive~ close-ups, in true Cyrus fashion. And as if this message wasn’t enough, the same catchphrase was also projected onto the Empire State Building, proving just how iconic Cyrus is.
As with any new music announcement from a pop goddess, my fellow Cyrus fans lost their chill over this news (rightfully so), sharing their excitement with the world — and don’t forget theorizing. Yup, Swifties aren’t the only ones skilled at detecting Easter eggs, and Taylor isn’t the only one implementing them — because it appears Cyrus may have some tricks up her sleeve.
The countdown clock on her website tells us *a lot* about the new era.
First, fans noticed Cyrus has left a countdown clock on her website, which reads twelve and a half days as of Dec. 19. So, we can probably expect more information or even a whole release come the beginning of the new year.
Either way, given that there’s a Spotify link below the countdown, it’s safe to say we’re getting new music. Is Miley about to turn January 1st into her own holiday? Looks like it, and I’m 100% here for it. (Plus, this was a particularly brilliant move given her second New Year’s Eve special happening on Dec. 31.)
But the background to the countdown clock is arguably even more interesting — it’s a photo of a fake palm tree. You may assume this photo was just a placeholder, but come on, we should know better than that. Some fans have theorized that this is a metaphor for the falseness of Hollywood, but others have taken it far deeper, with a potential meaning that I really hope is true: a collaboration with Selena Gomez.
Hear me out: because the photo is of a fake palm tree, fans think it’s a message that “everything isn’t what it seems.” Doesn’t that sound familiar? Yep, it’s the theme song to Wizards of Waverly Place, the show that Selena Gomez starred in. So, fans think this is a hidden Easter egg that means Cyrus will feature Gomez on a song on this upcoming new album.
It seems a bit far-fetched to me, but honestly, I’m hoping and praying that these fans are right — because a duet between those two would be the collaboration of the decade in my eyes. Given their drama-filled history from the Disney Channel days, this would be a message of peace we all need right now.
Some fans think we may get a continuation of SHE IS COMING, and others think it’s a whole new era.
Remember a few years ago, when Cyrus released her EP SHE IS COMING (featuring the absolute bop “Mother’s Daughter”)? Well, as many fans know, this EP was meant to be part of a three-part series of EPs, which was never released in completion due to personal conflicts in Cyrus’s life — like the wildfire that demolished her childhood house, and her divorce from Liam Hemsworth. It was instead followed up with the album Plastic Hearts, and Cyrus left the SHE IS COMING era behind.
But now, Cyrus stans are theorizing that we may get a taste of what we missed from the latter two albums in the SHE IS COMING series. Because the announcement “NEW YEAR. NEW MILEY” feels similar to the messaging of SHE IS COMING, it’s not a stretch to say we may get to hear some songs from that album — including the beloved leaked song “F*cked Up Forever.” If this is true, well, let’s just say Cyrus may be giving Midnights and Taylor Swift a run for their money.
But other fans aren’t so sure, assuming she’s left those EPs in the past. Even given the little information we do have, we do know Cyrus is focusing on something new — would she really say “new year, new Miley” if she was bringing back music from a few years ago?
Either way, it’s a sure bet we’re getting new music.
Whether you’re hoping SHE IS COMING will finally get a second and third part, praying for a Selena Gomez collab, expecting a whole new era, or just excited for her new music regardless of what it is, one thing’s for sure: We’re definitely getting new music. And we can certainly predict she’ll sing some new tunes or make another announcement on her New Year’s Eve special.
We already know there’s a new Spotify link below the countdown clock — but it’s also noteworthy that Cyrus has removed her pre-existing bio on Spotify. And, come on, what else would this announcement be for? With many uncertainties and stresses coming our way in 2023, at least we’ll have this to look forward to. It’s a surefire bet we’re getting new music from Cyrus come the new year, and whatever it is, you know I’ll be blasting it on repeat.