The celebrity debuted the poignant new music video for her most recent song, “Used to Be Young,” on Friday. In it, she looks back on her wild days of partying while accepting the truth that she has changed.
“This song is about honoring who we’ve been, loving who we are, and celebrating who we will become,” Cyrus, 30, said in a press release about the tear-jerking ballad. “I feel proud when considering my past and hopeful when considering my future.”
Her statement continued, “I am thankful for my devoted followers, who make my aspirations a daily reality. I am profoundly grateful for the consistency of your unwavering support. This is a melody for you.”
In the lyrics of “Used to Be Young,” Cyrus reflects on the years of her life and career when she spent time at parties, conveying that she has no regrets despite finding new meaning in life as she has aged.
One fan wrote on Twitter, “Miley Cyrus’s new song ‘Used to Be Young’ made me cry. It’s such a beautiful and honest story of her growth and journey. She respects her past, enjoys her present, and looks forward to her future.
Cyrus walks down a dark path—redolent of her “The Climb” music video — before halting directly in front of the camera while donning a Mickey Mouse t-shirt as a tribute to her Hannah Montana days.
While singing the heartfelt lyrics of “Used to Be Young,” the singer-songwriter weeps for the majority of the video before embracing her past and reminiscing with a broad smirk at the conclusion.
“It’s extremely emotional because I am essentially a miniature version of my mother [Tish], and I was able to see her inside the camera using a technology that allowed me to live stream with my mother from inside the camera,” Cyrus said in a statement about the music video.
She added, “So, we could see each other, and as she danced, it made me cry, it made me laugh, it evoked so many real emotions, and I think it’s really letting people into genuine emotion, which I don’t feel we get to see very often these days.”
“Used to Be Young” is Cyrus’s first new single since the March release of her album Endless Summer Vacation, which yielded the number-one single “Flowers.”
The release of the new song coincides with a revamped version of her Disney+ special, Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions), which was released earlier this year. After airing Thursday evening on ABC, the program is now available for streaming on Hulu.
