Miley Cyrus’ new song Flowers includes a possible reference to her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth’s birthday, as well as their Malibu home burning down in the California wildfires.
In the opening verse, Miley sings that they ‘built a home and watched it burn’, which could be referencing the $2.5 million home she lived in with Liam that was destroyed in the 2018 fires.
The track also seems to reference various infamous awkward red carpet-moments between the pair, leading many to believe that the song is about her former husband.
The Australian actor filed for divorce in 2019, which came as a surprise to Miley at the time as she was hoping to work on their ten-year relationship. This event is referenced in the song where she sings, ‘I didn’t want to leave you / I didn’t wanna lie / Started to cry.’
In the new music video that was released on Friday, Miley Cyrus is seen dancing in the streets of Hollywood wearing a gorgeous golden Saint Laurent dress that looks like it belongs on a red carpet.
After what looks like a night out on the town, Cyrus comes home, strips down to black lingerie, and jumps in her pool.
After she works out in just her underwear, she takes a shower and gets dressed in a blazer and pants combo while dancing around her house.
The gold gown at the beginning of the video is from Yves Saint Laurent’s fall/winter 1991 collection – the year between Miley and Liam’s birth. However, her final outfit is from the same designer’s 2022 collection, signifying how she has moved on from the relationship she started as a child and is ready to begin a new era.
The chorus is clearly inspired by Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man”, which Liam once dedicated to Miley.
The original song – about regret after losing a loved one – has lyrics that include: ‘I should have bought you flowers and held your hand / Should have gave you all my hours when I had the chance / Take you to every party ’cause all you wanted to do was dance’.
In flipping the script, while sampling the track, Miley sings: ‘I I can take myself dancing / And I can hold my own hand / Yeah, I can love me better than you can’.
‘I can take myself dancing’ likely refers to an infamous red carpet moment when Liam visibly cringed at Miley’s twerking. This new lyric could be interpreted as Miley saying she doesn’t need a man to have a good time.
Footage from February 2019 showed tension between then-newlyweds Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth.
In the footage, Miley twerked in front of Liam during their joint Access interview.
The Hunger Games actor quickly stepped away from his bride while looking uncomfortable.
‘Don’t do it. Don’t do it,’ he begged her. ‘You’re scaring everyone on the carpet.’
Miley then stopped and glanced awkwardly at the camera, which was captured just six months before the A-list couple filed for divorce. In the video, Liam could be seen wearing his wedding ring.
When asked by a reporter ‘What’s a dance number between the two of you look like? Liam said: ‘No, no, we’re not doing this. Not on the carpet.’
This video footage from April of the same year showed deepening tensions between the couple as 2019 wore on. At the Avengers: Endgame premiere, while Miley tried to pose seductively, Liam clung to her waist.
The clearly annoyed pop star pushed her husband’s hands away, while he offered an embarrassed grin.
She then raised her arms and posed for the cameras.
Miley got engaged to Liam in May 2012, but they split in September 2013, before reuniting in 2016.
The couple married in December 2018, but their divorce was finalised in January 2020.
The Prisoner hitmaker and the Emmy-nominated producer – who previously split from 2013-2016 – originally fell in love in 2009 on the set of Julie Anne Robinson’s dismally-reviewed romantic drama The Last Song.
Miley’s fans were quick to point out that her new album’s release date was on January 13, the same day her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth’s new movie, The Witcher, comes out. Some of them even called it ‘messy as.
Liam – who’s taking over Henry Cavill’s part in The Witcher – happily moved on with fellow Australian Gabriella Brooks in 2019.