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Miley Cyrus turns her latest studio album, Something Beautiful, into a visual album that fails to cement her among her peers. Cyrus is undoubtedly a talented singer and even more talented performer, but this visual album lacks any point of view. Something Beautiful is just that… something beautiful and little else.
Something Beautiful feels less like a cohesive album and more like a series of well-produced performances. There are no plots, statements, or overarching themes. Expect a load of moody pop videos, divided randomly into acts and separated by spoken word interludes.
For 55 minutes, the actress and singer struts her way through various sets, each time dressed like she’s in a 1970s Cher special. Co-directed by Miley Cyrus with Jacob Bixenman and Brendan Walter, the visuals offer something more interesting than the dull 1980s synth-pop rock it accompanies.
The 80s inspiration is obvious here, turned up to 11, until it almost becomes a pastiche. Cyrus writhes around neon-lit sets and streets, her bouffant hair not moving, no matter how much energy she puts into the performance. One minute, she’s doing her best Tina Turner, the next she’s a video vixen on her knees on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. So committed to her rock star persona, she ended up in intensive care with a severe knee infection from the LA-based shoot. Put Something Beautiful on mute, and you’ll think Cyrus is delivering a slice of power rock, but the energy of the visuals never matches the soundtrack.
The visual album starts with a soulful ballad before the crashing 80s synth comes in. It promises something interesting awaits us when, in fact, it’s a series of sparkly pop songs. There is nothing bad here, but there are also no show-stopping moments you’ll be recreating on TikTok and in Halloween costumes for years to come. Not all videos get the same budget or attention, and it feels obvious which songs the label favors as singles.
Fans of camp will appreciate moments like ‘Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved’, which sees supermodel Naomi Campbell pause her retirement and strut around a warehouse. It’s a shame Miley didn’t lean more into these draggy moments and embrace how over the top she can be as a pop star. ‘Walk of Fame’ with Brittany Howard is a musical highlight, paired with a moody, neon-soaked music video. The end credit song ‘Give Me Love’ is vocally and lyrically the best, Cyrus staring down the camera to vulnerably deliver the soulful ballad. These end moments will likely leave you walking away wondering why Cyrus didn’t give a little more of her soul to the project.
What the production lacks, Cyrus delivers. She has a rockstar swag that is worthier of more interesting music. Something Beautiful is never more engaging than when the camera is zoomed tightly onto Cyrus’ face. Her weaker moments come when Miley faces choreography. She has many strong points, but dancing is not one of them.
Cyrus has struggled to find a place for herself amongst the Parthenon of 21st-century pop girls. She hasn’t got a distinctive look or sound, no message, and nothing to say for herself. Is talent enough to make an impact? If Something Beautiful does not cement herself as someone who rivals Beyonce, Lady Gaga, or Taylor Swift.
Miley has played around with numerous genres, from her psychedelic Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz to her country-inspired Younger Now and her more recent new-wave Plastic Hearts, which saw her perform alongside Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and Dua Lipa. This lack of direction shows on Something Beautiful, which borrows a lot from icons of the past but does not try to find a specific place for Miley.
Something Beautiful proves she is more than the child star who twerked on Robin Thicke. Cyrus is an immense talent, vocally skilled, a heartfelt songwriter, and an energetic performer. Now she has to work out where to put it all.
Miley claims the album’s themes centre on death, beauty, psychedelia, and impermanence. Perhaps you could read, if you looked closely, her desire to find beauty in the decay. She is a shiny star in expensive couture lying on a dirty alleyway, she is strutting the catwalk of an empty air hangar with a supermodel, but any real meaning takes a lot of mental arithmetic.
Considering her years in the industry, her household name recognition, and the immense success of ‘Flowers’ the budget does not show here. Numerous songs look like a mid-budget video released by a pop star at a lesser stage of her career. Thankfully, Miley’s sheer star power does the heavy lifting when production does not.
Something Beautiful is no Lemonade, it’s a shallow, frothy slice of popstar self-indulgence. It has nothing to say other than Miley Cyrus is a cool lady who can belt out a pop-rock song in a sparkly outfit.
Score: C
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Miley Cyrus: Something Beautiful
"Something Beautiful" is a one of a kind pop opera fueled by fantasy, featuring thirteen original new songs from the visual album "Something Beautiful" by Miley Cyrus.
Release Date: July 16, 2025
Director: Jacob Bixenman Brendan Walter
Cast: Miley Cyrus , Naomi Campbell , Maxx Morando
