Pop needs Miley Cyrus. Whether she’s scandalizing the MTV Video Music Awards with a foam finger, doing tongue gymnastics or dropping a free psychedelic album, the 24-year-old is nothing if not a breath of fresh air. Thankfully, the wait for new music is almost over.
Sources tell Variety that the pop star is releasing a new song called “Malibu” on May 12. The beachy anthem was co-written and produced by Oren Yoel, who previously worked with the singer on 2013 hit “Adore You” as well as “Dead Petz” highlights “Space Bootz,” “BB Talk,” and “I Get So Scared.” Cyrus provided the topline for “Malibu,” an insider reveals. Cyrus’ label, RCA Records, would not comment or confirm that new music was on its way.
While details about the project are otherwise scant, there have whispers that a reboot is imminent. The former Billy Ray Cyrus (who now goes by the mononym Cyrus) let the cat out of the bag on March 14. In a since-deleted tweet, the Cyrus patriarch wrote: “Looks like it’s time to rock n roll. Excited to hear more of the new stuff!!!!! Turn it loose!” That missive was accompanied by a picture from a new photo shoot, which could well turn out to be the single cover or a still from the video. It depicts the Disney alum wearing a pastel pink dress with a frilly V design. She has long, ombre locks and poses against a rocky backdrop, which look suspiciously like the Malibu shoreline.
“Malibu” isn’t Miley Cyrus’ first beach-related bop. As any Smiler can tell you, the weed enthusiast recorded a song called “Beach Weekend” during her “Hannah Montana” days. No doubt, this will be a little more refined and perhaps even festival-friendly. After all, the “Wrecking Ball” hitmaker is likely to perform her new single at Wango Tango. She is listed as a special guest performer at the one-day pop event, which takes place in Los Angeles on May 13. Other artists on the bill include Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Niall Horan, Halsey, Julia Michaels, and sister Noah Cyrus, who landed her first top 50 hit earlier this year with Labrinth-assisted “Make Me (Cry).”
It will be interesting to see what direction Cyrus, who is managed by Adam Leber at Maverick Management, takes this time around. Since releasing Disney’s edgiest pop album in 2010 (“Can’t Be Tamed” contains a Poison cover and a gay rights anthem called “My Heart Beats For Love”), the Grammy nominee has always delivered the unexpected. She turned the pop world on its head with the raunchy, anything-goes urban-pop of “Bangerz” and then threw a real curve ball by dropping the sprawling, 23-track (initially) free album “Miley Cyrus And Her Dead Petz.” Repeating herself has never been in the Cyrus vocabulary, and is unlikely to start now.
Since winding down the “Dead Petz” era, Miley has kept a relatively low profile. She has been growing her hair, posting fewer nudes on Instagram and signed on for mentoring duties on “The Voice.” (Itself an indication that another album was on the way). The singer even shared a pic from a very Miley Cyrus recording booth, which was decorated with fluffy curtains, love-heart mats and plush toys, on Instagram to let fans know that she was ready to get back to business.