Malibu (Miley Cyrus song)
"Malibu" is a song by American singer Miley Cyrus. It was released on May 11, 2017, by RCA Records as the lead single from her sixth studio album, Younger Now. Its lyrics were written by Cyrus and its music and production was done by her and Oren Yoel. The song first premiered on Beats 1 on May 11 and was then subsequently released for digital download and streaming that day. It was commercially successful, reaching the top 10 in the US, and number eleven in the UK. "Malibu" became Cyrus's ninth top-ten entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has been certified multi-platinum in Australia, Canada, Norway, and the United States.
"Malibu"
The song discusses Cyrus' relationship with her then-fiancé and The Last Song co-star, Liam Hemsworth. Critics viewed "Malibu" as indicative of Cyrus' transition into becoming a more mellow artist, and more removed from her previously controversial image. An accompanying music video was released on the same day as the song. It features Cyrus in various all-white outfits as she is shown frolicking in various outdoor locations.
Composition and lyrical interpretation[edit]
Rolling Stone characterized the song as pop rock,[14] whereas Spin described it as "SoCal soft rock".[15] It is performed in the key of A♭ major with a tempo of 140 beats per minute.[16] Cyrus' vocals span from E♭3 to E♭5.[17]
The song's lyrics differ from Cyrus's previous two albums, and provide introspection on her love life with Liam Hemsworth, whom she lived with in Malibu at the time of writing the song.[18] The New York Times said Cyrus sings about "past insecurities, current contentment and 'Hoping I just stay the same, and nothing will change/And it'll be us, just for a while.'"[19]
Critical reception[edit]
"Malibu" received mixed reviews from music critics. The New York Times's Jon Pareles described the song as "nice as can be", saying, "The only shock is that there's no shock."[19] Jon Blistein of Rolling Stone called "Malibu" a "stripped-down song ... [which] buoys Cyrus' simple vocals and lovestruck lyrics."[14] Forbes writer Hugh McIntyre says "'Malibu' is unexpected upon first listen", and notes Cyrus "has gone in an Americana direction, opting for a guitar-based composition instead of the electronic sound her fans have become used to over the past few years."[20] Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly gave the song a positive review, describing it as "minimal, refreshing, and simple in tone", as well as "radio-friendly".[21] Time's Raisa Bruner called "Malibu" a "stripped-down" and "breezy" track, and noted that the track deviates from her previous work, which included "zany stage antics" and "conversation-sparking politics".[22]
Amanda Petrusich of The New Yorker recognised the musical strength of the song, stating "Musically, 'Malibu' is a mix of Laurel Canyon and Nashville, equal parts bohemian and smarmy; it is as if Dolly Parton were finally called upon to sing a late-era Stevie Nicks track"; however, the review called Cyrus' performance of it "lifeless", writing that her disposal to the hip-hop culture she once embraced now feels "disingenuous, if not sinister".[23] Petrusich stated that "this is too bad, because Cyrus has a rich, husky voice, and, when she inhabits it with more gusto, like on her previous singles "The Climb" and "Wrecking Ball" it conveys both fragility and tremendous strength."[23] Pitchfork writer Jillian Mapes found the song "sedated", "wholly inoffensive", and "a shrug of a song", while saying that "[Malibu is] so breezy, it makes Sheryl Crow seem edgy, or Lady Gaga's Joanne resemble a legit rock'n'roll reinvention."[24] Variety writer Chris Willman called it "sweet" and "deeply felt", praising Cyrus's "guilelessness" and Oren Yoel's production skills while also comparing her sound on the song to that of Seals and Crofts, but adding that the track itself has "any number of clunker lines" and non-sequiturs.[25] Spin's Andy Cush said that while it boasts "earnest lyrics, unfussy production with handclaps and clean electric guitars, [and] a mild twang to remind you of her status as the progeny of a country star", he found the track to be "utterly inoffensive" and that Cyrus's persona in "Malibu" felt like "her most deliberately constructed persona yet", while likening her sound to that of Sheryl Crow and Don Henley.[15]
Commercial performance[edit]
In the United States, with less than a day of tracking, "Malibu" debuted at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 with 29,000 downloads and 4 million streams.[26] In its first full week, the single soared to number 10 with 77,000 copies sold (106,000 total), 21.5 million streams, and logged 13.5 million in airplay audience. The feat makes "Malibu" Cyrus' ninth top 10 entry on the chart and her first since "Wrecking Ball" in 2013.[27] On the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart the song debuted at number 27 the week of July 15, 2017 with 103 spins and 0.167 million audience impressions across American adult contemporary radio stations.[28][29] "Malibu" has moved 1 million equivalent units in the United States as of September 2017.[30]
In United Kingdom, the single debuted at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart, becoming her fourth song to peak at this position.[31] In Oceania, "Malibu" peaked at number three on the ARIA Charts in Australia and at number four on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.
Music video[edit]
The music video for "Malibu" was released on May 11, 2017, and was directed by Cyrus and Diane Martel. It features several shots of Cyrus on a beach with balloons, sitting in front of a waterfall,[32] in wildflower fields, and running with a dog, all while dressed in various white outfits. In the video, she also shows her engagement ring.[33] The video garnered over 50 million views within its first two weeks.[34] As of August 2023, it has over 520 million views.[35]