"Secrets" has been described as a deeply personal work dedicated to Cyrus' father,Billy Ray Cyrus,incorporating lyrical themes of trust and vulnerability. Critics noted the song's intimate vocal delivery and the historical weight of Cyrus' collaboration with Fleetwood and Buckingham,framing it as a cross-generational moment that bridges musical legacies.
In September,Cyrus announced that the deluxe edition of Something Beautiful would be released on September 19.[2][3] The reissue added two new tracks:"Secrets",featuring Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham,and "Lockdown",featuring David Byrne.[1][4] Cyrus teased the new songs through social media posts,describing "Secrets" as a personal gift for her father,Billy Ray Cyrus,on his 64th birthday.[5][2]
Billy Ray referred to the song on social media as a "gift of music" and revealed that it featured two of his longtime musical influences,former Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham.[6] Walking through a field,he simply soaked in the lyrics,captioning the post,"For my birthday,Miley gave me the gift of music and wrote me a song called 'Secrets' and got my favorite musicians Fleetwood Mac to play on it! I love you Mile".[a] According to People,Cyrus had previously previewed the song during an appearance on Monica Lewinsky's podcast,where she explained that the writing process helped her reconcile tensions in her relationship with her father.[b] Cyrus first teased the track several weeks before its release. The first public snippet appeared when Billy Ray posted a video of himself listening to the song.[6]
"Secrets" is a soft-rock influenced[13]ballad[14] described by Cyrus as a deeply personal work reflecting her connection with her father.[8] Cyrus explained that she wanted the song to make her father feel safe sharing difficult truths and framed herself as mature enough to carry the weight of family challenges.[6]
Harper's Bazaar's Chelsey Sanchez noted that "Secrets" is a heartfelt plea to a loved one who "come[s] and go[es] as [they] want" and needs reassurance that "love is not a prison". Like the rest of Something Beautiful, the track blends elements of rock and pop, with Cyrus' rich, gravelly vocals bolstered by features from Buckingham and Fleetwood.[15] As noted by Jillian Giandurco of Nylon, "Secrets" is a song that avoids direct callbacks to Cyrus' Hannah Montana era, instead blending a little country and rock elements.[16]
Music video
The music video for "Secrets" was directed by Cyrus, Jacob Bixenman, and Brendan Walter.[17] It features Cyrus performing at Los Angeles' Million Dollar Theatre, the same location where the artwork for Something Beautiful was originally photographed.[15] Throughout the video, she appears in haute couture looks designed by Iris Van Herpen and Maison Margiela,[18] alternating between a flowing white sheer ensemble and a sleek black halterneck gown complemented by a bejewelled face mask.[15]
Critical reception
Reagan Denning of Melodic Magazine noted that Cyrus is "certainly making a case for artist of a lifetime" and highlights the historical weight of her collaboration with Fleetwood and Buckingham.[3]InStyle's Hannah Malach and KZOK-FM's Doc Reno compared Cyrus's vocals to those of another Fleetwood Mac member Stevie Nicks.[19][20]
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