Pop culture icon grows up

Miley Cyrus may be older now, but her new album is entitled, “Younger Now.”  It is expected to be released on September 29th.  Her fans are excited, as her last album, “Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Pets” was released on Soundcloud in 2015. Since then, she took time off from recording to co-host on the Voice, campaign for Clinton in the 2016 election, and establish the Happy Hippie Foundation. This nonprofit charity allows people to easily contribute to eight established charities; including, the Humane Society to protect animals, Donors Choose to support school classrooms, and Volunteer.Gov to serve our national parks.

As a child, her father, country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus, always welcomed recording artists into their home. Miley would play her guitar along with them, which exposed her to all types of music. Now, fifteen years later, this album reflects the influence these artists had on Miley, including the Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Waylon Jennings.    

The album cover shows the back of a bedazzled leather jacket and pants, and the title is written in cursive with a cowboy rope. This cover may be a good indication that the album is a mix of country and pop, yet is also edgy in a way only Miley can offer. Her single “Malibu”, released in May, rose to number 10 on the Hot 100 list. Music critics accept this transition from a controversial rebel to a mellow singer.  As Billy Ray Cyrus views it, “This is Miley leaning into her roots more than I’ve ever heard.”