Miley Cyrus has reinvented herself yet again, and the proof is in her new single, “Malibu,” which dropped Thursday with an accompanying music video. While not quite a full-blown return to Cyrus’ country roots, the new song is noticeably different from the sound of the pop star’s last two albums, 2013’s Bangerz and 2015’s Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz. “Malibu,” named after the city where Cyrus lives with fiancé Liam Hemsworth, is our first taste of Cyrus’ sixth album, which promises, in addition to love songs, at least one track about Hillary Clinton and another about working women.
The video for “Malibu” sees Cyrus frolicking through meadows of wildflowers, under waterfalls, and along sandy beaches while wearing knit sweaters and bikinis, giving the entire video the feel of an extended Abercrombie ad. But sharp-eyed viewers will also appreciate a few shots of the video’s co-star, Cyrus’ dog, Emu, who is also honored in a tattoo on her arm. In fact, the whole song, which is about someone who gets you to appreciate the outdoors, comforts you when you’re afraid, and brings you all-around joy, suddenly becomes a lot more fun if you imagine Cyrus is actually singing to her dog instead of her hunky Australian fiancé.
