When Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” debuted in January 2023, it topped the Billboard Sizzling 100 — and remained there for eight weeks. The album it launched, Infinite Summer season Trip (her eighth full-length and first on Columbia Information), went on to hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200. And a 12 months later, the only and album each stay forces: On the upcoming Grammys, Cyrus (who has but to win one) has six nominations, together with tune and file of the 12 months nods for “Flowers” and an album of the 12 months nod for Infinite Summer season Trip.
Lots of her closest album collaborators spoke to Billboard about how they got here to take this artistic journey along with her — and why her Grammy recognition is lengthy overdue.
All Aboard!
Mike WiLL Made-It, writer-producer: Since we’ve made so many hits over time, Miley approached me and stated she needed me concerned — she felt like this was going to be her greatest work but. She has already explored so many various sounds, and he or she’s actually on her songwriting. It’s at all times dope to work along with her as a result of she’s continually pushing the envelope.
Michael Pollack, writer-producer: Miley and I had carried out just a few writing periods in 2021 with no actual point out of an album. It wasn’t till we acquired again within the studio in January of 2022 that the momentum appeared to choose up and I began to note Miley assembling Infinite Summer season Trip.
Tyler Johnson, writer-producer: I believe it was simply a part of being within the system after engaged on the Harry [Styles album Harry’s House]. And Miley’s group and our group — myself and Child Harpoon’s groups — needed to make it occur. We acquired collectively for per week at NightBird Studios [in Los Angeles] and wrote the tune “Wildcard” and began our relationship with Miley. Six months later, after she heard some music that we had been engaged on with Kevin Summary, she came visiting to do a possible function on one of many songs.
Child Harpoon, writer-producer: I’ve at all times been a fan. I simply fanboy when she’s singing. After we [reconnected], she had some songs she favored however she didn’t have a manufacturing course on them. The large factor for her was, “I need to make an album I’m happy with.”
Tobias Jesso Jr., author: I bumped into [Columbia CEO] Ron Perry at Adele [One Night Only] at Griffith [Observatory in L.A.]. He was like, “Hey, I’d actually prefer to get you concerned on this Miley factor.” On this specific session, I knew why Ron needed me there: He needed me to jot down a tune on the piano with Miley. As quickly as all of the writers had been there — Mike WiLL Made-It, Bibi Bourelly and me and Miley — I used to be like, “Why don’t we go to the piano and simply attempt some stuff?” I believe inside half-hour, “Thousand Miles” was written.
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Justin Chung
Tyler Johnson
Cedrick Jones
Greg Kurstin, writer-producer: Ron Perry and [Miley’s co-manager] Jonathan Daniel each reached out to me about Miley. We initially acquired collectively to jot down songs and “Jaded” got here out of one in all our periods with [writer] Sarah Aarons. We spent quite a lot of time at my studio. Miley is nice to work with as a result of she has a transparent imaginative and prescient of what she desires and he or she doesn’t cease till she will get it. She’s additionally quite a lot of enjoyable.
Caitlyn Smith, author: Since Miley reduce our tune “Excessive” on her 2020 Plastic Hearts file, she and my co-writer, Jenn Decilveo, had been texting concerning the three of us getting collectively and writing a bit for her subsequent file. It was a last-minute “Need to write this week?” in April of final 12 months that led to a day within the studio.
Jenn Decilveo, author: [Miley] despatched me this concept, after which we acquired along with my pal BJ [Burton] and Caitlyn, and that was the beginning of “Island.” I believe it was at Larrabee within the Valley [in L.A.] — 1-2-3 carried out. She’s such an unbelievable songwriter and had a lot enter melodically, lyrically, productionwise. She was concerned in each side.
Maxx Morando, writer-producer: We had been simply hanging out, and I used to be engaged on stuff and he or she was engaged on stuff, and he or she heard the instrumental model of “Handstand” and was like, “Oh, I’ve an concept for the vocal.” I made [it] throughout COVID-19 — and I don’t even smoke that a lot weed, however I believe I used to be actually excessive once I made it.
Gregory “Aldae” Hein, author: [Columbia Records head of A&R Rani Hancock] was a cheerleader for Miley to work with me. Ron Perry FaceTimed me and was like, “Hey, we’re going to convey you in with Miley. That is what we would like from you.” I went in along with her and it was simply on the spot chemistry. The primary day we ever labored [together], we wrote “Used To Be Younger” in lower than an hour.
Mike WiLL Made-It
Cam Kirk
Michael Pollack
Nesrin Danan
Stopping To Odor The “Flowers”
Pollack: “Flowers” was written in January of 2022 throughout per week of periods at Sundown Sound [in L.A.]. The tune got here collectively organically, being written in its entirety on the piano. Initially the concept was slower and sadder, however each Greg [Hein] and Miley had the imaginative and prescient to make the tune constructive and free-spirited. We demo’d the tune on Rhodes [piano] and left pondering it was a ballad — or at the very least I did. Virtually instantly after, I bear in mind being advised, “ ‘Flowers’ goes to be the primary single and it’s going to be produced out as an uptempo.”
Hein: Miley randomly texted us nearly a 12 months later, like, “Hey, simply so that you guys know, you could have my first single.” Then she invited me to the music video shoot and I noticed the scene the place she walks up within the gold costume and I used to be like, “Oh, that is going to be a factor.”
Johnson: Ron Perry was actually main the cost of creating positive “Flowers” and “Used To Be Younger” had been proper. These songs had been undoubtedly the precedence, particularly “Flowers.” However whereas we had been engaged on that, we had been doing different data, and it was truly [album track] “Rose Coloured Lenses” that helped us gel.
Child Harpoon: “Rose Coloured Lenses” isn’t essentially something single-y, however we simply cherished it. These songs are the soul of the file. “Rose Coloured” was at all times the one which felt just like the touchstone, however ensuring that “Flowers” did its job in relation to that was essential.
Johnson: It’s essential for artists like Miley to have a degree of autobiographical texture to their songs. Then you definitely combine that with one thing folks can transfer to, that feels new and retro on the identical time, and it’s a extremely highly effective cocktail.
Hein: All of it comes right down to, “I can love me higher than you may.” That’s the all-encompassing lyric to me. I used to be in a metropolis simply now referred to as Siguatepeque in Honduras and I used to be driving to fulfill a priest for my marriage ceremony developing and there was no music taking part in on this metropolis however “Flowers.” That one’s attain is simply loopy.
Maxx Morando
Eva Pentel
Child Harpoon
Josiah Van Dien
Trip Scrapbook
Smith: Miley arrived on the studio wanting to jot down this concept referred to as “Island.” She talked to us about how being within the highlight since she was a child has put her on a little bit of an island from the remainder of the world and the way it’s stunning however, at instances, might be actually lonely. I’m obsessive about the hook: “Am I stranded on an island or have I landed in paradise?”
Decilveo: I really like that line, which is one she wrote, which I believe sums it up. Being uber profitable, uber every thing — is it paradise, or are you stranded alone? Not with the ability to exit since you’re so well-known and you’ll’t go to Dealer Joe’s as a result of folks received’t allow you to stroll down the aisles like a standard individual.
Smith: Additionally, Miley’s mother got here by for a bit that day, and he or she had advised us about this “Smoke ’Em If Ya Bought ’Em” hat that she had purchased. Later that day, we thought it might be an excellent line to place within the tune.
Jesso: I really like [on “Thousand Miles”] how nation she will get on “Decide up the telephone and I name again house, however all I get is a dial tone. And as an alternative of hangin’ up, I cling my head.” It was actually cool to see Mike WiLL Made-It’s a part of that too, as a result of it’s not one thing you think about, however he was so into it.
Mike WiLL Made-It: Miley took the tune and switched the course. I used to be already married to what we made however she took it to Grammy collaboration degree. She acquired Brandi [Carlile] on the tune and that was the piece that was lacking. That’s how we ended up with the banger “Thousand Miles” we hear in the present day earlier than each Delta flight.
Morando: For “Violet Chemistry,” [Miley] was like, “Do you assume you can add some sauce into this tune and spice it up?” [My friend Max Taylor-Sheppard and I] thought, “What if we did some Erykah Badu bridge with a pungent bassline and one thing loopy?” It occurred in possibly quarter-hour. We like the concept of throwing a wrench in one thing — a tasteful wrench.
Child Harpoon: They’re very related, Miley and Harry [Styles]. They’re big pop icons, however their course of is like an indie child that simply desires to have enjoyable and doesn’t actually give a sh-t about all of the pop stuff. They simply need to make one thing artistic, so for these sorts of brains, stepping into and making an attempt to jot down a pop hit goes to fully destroy all their enjoyable. Me and Tyler [engineered] an setting within the studio the place you may simply do regardless of the f–okay you need.
Jesso: Even should you had a day session with Miley, it wouldn’t really feel like a day session as a result of she will get actual so fast. She has simply been so uncovered in her life that she’s like, “What have I acquired to lose?” That’s a really fertile place for creativity to reside. You’re feeling a jolt of this artistic power from her, nearly always. It’s sporadic and it’s loopy and it’s wild — but it surely’s one of the best form.
Jennifer Decilveo
Brantley Gutierrez
Greg Kurstin photographed on November 28, 2022 in Los Angeles.
Austin Hargrave
Vacation spot: Grammys
Smith: She appears to have arrived at a spot in her life and her profession the place she doesn’t need to chase however merely create from the center. I bear in mind her speaking about how although she was profitable and had reached this place and degree in her profession, it nonetheless felt like a treadmill, and he or she nonetheless felt like she was at all times “chasing the carrot.” She appears to have entered a season of life the place she has discovered some peace and readability. I believe it exhibits on this file.
Pollack: Through the years we’ve seen so many sides to Miley and her music. Infinite Summer season Trip is a illustration of what all these parts seem like after they come collectively.
Morando: This has been a very long time coming for her. Infinite Summer season Trip is a implausible album; on prime of that you’ve her complete profession and every thing that she has carried out earlier than. Now [she’s] at this pinnacle.
Hein: It’s her most mature physique of labor.
Mike WiLL Made-It: That is the 12 months the place she wins album of the 12 months in spite of everything the expansion and arduous work. This album, she discovered and unlocked one other sound, that poster-girl Miley sound that nobody can replicate.
Caitlyn Smith
Robert Chavers
Gregory “Aldae” Hein
Sylvain Pictures
Jesso: [2013’s] Bangerz was robbed. The Grammys want jail for Bangerz not being nominated for album of the 12 months. Apart from that, I believe it’s time for her to get what’s due.
Child Harpoon: I nonetheless love Bangerz. It’s a basic. The factor I’ve at all times felt with Miley is that everybody desires Miley to win. She represents that a part of everybody who doesn’t give a f–okay and simply desires to take pleasure in their life. I believe this can be a fruits of years and years of simply being an absolute boss. Individuals assume, “Oh, somebody writes Miley’s songs,” or “somebody tells her the place to face, somebody does this, and the file label says this,” but it surely’s not like that, and it’s a story that I simply don’t assume is useful. And somebody like Taylor [Swift], she’s helped change that narrative. That’s why I’m happy with Miley, as a result of the Grammys will imply extra, in a method, [now]. [A Grammy win is] recognition by your artistic friends that you just created this, and he or she actually did.
Johnson: With out the Grammy, individuals are [still] singing the tune. Persons are residing their lives to this music. That’s the purpose of it. Grammys are a mirrored image of that already achieved milestone. We’ve already received — this could simply be a bonus.
This story will seem within the Jan. 27, 2024, difficulty of Billboard.