Miley Cyrus is hoping that we’ll forget about a lot with her latest single “Malibu.” She wants us to forget Hannah Montana and the halfway step out of Disney-pop that was “Party In The USA.” She wants us to forget the bit where she wore a grill and rocked a Michael Jordan-inspired outfit alongside Wiz Khalifa. She wants us to put those freakouts with Wayne Coyne out of our minds. And she definitely doesn’t want us to dwell on what she’s said and done in the last few weeks. And “Malibu” is so nice that it almost pulls it off.
Everything about the track is an about-face from every image that Miley has morphed through. Where “Party” was boisterous, “Malibu” is subdued. Where Bangerz was abrasive, “Malibu” is soft. Where Dead Petz was uneven and strange, “Malibu” will slot easy into any coffee house playlist. These aren’t exactly criticisms. There’s something to be said for a contented artist making music about the joys of a happy life. This is Miley trying to spread a little warmth and — while it might not be the most interesting thing she’s ever done — it’s certainly successful in sharing a bit of the fuzzies.
Time will tell if this is a new phase for Miley or just a lead-off of an album that pulls together all of her various influences, but for now you can enjoy the video up top or stream the new track below.
