Miley Cyrus kicked off 2023 with an absolute tune in the form of Flowers. The track was played everywhere and was impossible to miss, with fans wasting no time theorising that the song was about her relationship with ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth.
Not only was it released on his birthday, but netizens started claiming that the music video was littered with easter eggs that nodded to their 2019 break-up, with online allegations ranging from unusual but plausible to downright bizarre.
Liam's sister-in-law, Elsa Pataky, even shared what she thought of the song, and it also sparked interest in Miley's new boyfriend, Maxx Morando.
Following the release of her new album, Endless Summer Vacation, Miley addressed the speculation that her new music is about the Australian actor in an interview with British Vogue.
She said: "I wouldn’t erase my story or want it to be erased. Having an interesting life makes for interesting storytelling."
While Flowers is often attributed to her break-up with Liam, Miley has said she would 'never need to be a master at the craft of tricking an audience' - noting that the album is reflective of a number of romantic situations, and not specifically focused on one in particular.
During the interview, Miley also discussed how she felt growing up in the spotlight. After landing the leading role in Disney's Hannah Montana back in 2006, Miley became a household name and went on to have a very successful music career. However, after a brief hiatus, she made a comeback with her Grammy-nominated album Bangerz at the age of 20 - but was heavily criticised for her evolving public image.
She added: "I carried some guilt and shame around myself for years because of how much controversy and upset I really caused.
"Now that I’m an adult, I realise how harshly I was judged. I was harshly judged as a child by adults and now, as an adult, I realise that I would never harshly judge a child."
