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At an intimate Spotify-hosted event on May 6 at Metrograph in New York City, Miley Cyrus opened up to fans about her upcoming visual album Something Beautiful and reflected on a pivotal moment in her life—the 2018 Malibu fire that destroyed her home. In a candid Q&A session moderated by longtime fan Matt Peterson, Cyrus spoke about how the loss became a turning point in her personal and artistic journey.
"When my house burned down, that was the biggest blessing I've ever had in my life, actually," said Cyrus. She explained that losing everything allowed her to "rebuild and be purposeful" about what and who she surrounds herself with. "When my house burned down, a lot of my relationships also burned down," she continued. "And that just led me to such magic and to have so much gratitude."
The house, which she shared with ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, was destroyed in the California wildfires in November 2018. The couple married the following month and later separated in 2019. Reflecting on that period, Cyrus shared, "What I would have told my younger self is to appreciate those darker times because they're only leading you into the light."
The singer also revealed that Something Beautiful is deeply personal and inspired in part by her 2015 album Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz. "This album has to start with me loving it, and then the love that I have for it, whether you know it or not, it's gonna be coming through the speakers when you're listening," she said.
Describing the album as "hypnotizing and glamorous," Cyrus noted it was influenced by Pink Floyd's The Wall and aims to "medicate somewhat of a sick culture through music." She described the project as "a concept album... with a better wardrobe and more glamorous and filled with pop culture."
At the event, Cyrus also touched on her connection with fans, many of whom have supported her since her Hannah Montana days. "People say we grew up together, and we really did," she said. "It's cool to be in a room full of people I've never met and be like, 'Remember when my house burned down?' And you guys are like, 'Yeah.'"
Something Beautiful is set to release on May 30 via Columbia Records, with the accompanying film premiering at the Tribeca Festival on June 6.
