Miley Cyrus is no stranger to controversy and her latest song is pushing her back into the headlines again.
From twerking with Robin Thicke at the 2013 VMAS to her well-documented dalliance with drugs, the Wrecking Ball songstress has come through all sorts of scandals not exactly befitting of a former Disney star.
And as she prepares to release her upcoming new album, there is growing speculation she’s using it as an opportunity to take aim at ex-husband Liam Hemsworth.
The on-off couple split up for good in 2019 amid swirling rumours that she had cheated on him with Kaitlynn Carter.
At the time, Miley held up her hands to many of the faux pas she had made over the years, but flat out denied she had cheated on her actor husband.
Posting on Twitter, she said: “I can admit to a lot of things but I refuse to admit that my marriage ended because of cheating.
“Liam and I have been together for a decade. I’ve said it before and it remains true, I love Liam and always will.”
But almost four years later, it seems she has turned to her new album to send a very pointed and empowering message to the world about the high-profile breakdown of their relationship.
Not only was her new song, Flowers, officially released on her ex-husband’s birthday, Miley croons: “We were good, we were gold.
“Kind of dream that can’t be sold, we were right ‘til we weren’t. Built a home and watch it burn.”
Naturally her fans are speculating this is a reference to the couple’s home in Malibu, which burned down during wildfires that raged across Southern California in November 2018.
And if they are right, the Party in the US hitmaker has really stuck the knife in as she issued the ultimate declaration of self-love: “I didn’t want to leave you, I didn’t want to lie, started to cry but then remembered I can buy myself flowers, write my name in the sand, talk to myself for hours, say things you don’t understand.
“I can take myself dancing and I can hold my own hand, yeah I can love me better than you can.”
It certainly seems Miley has no regrets over moving on from the Hunger Games actor.
And she isn’t the first artist to use her lyrics to process the end of a relationship – here are some other famous singers who have drawn on the gut-wrenching experience and turned it into a chart-topping song.
Shakira has penned probably the most perfect break-up song ever.
While the lyrics of her newly released Out Of Your League have split opinion, with some accusing her of breaking the sisterhood code, on the whole, the reaction has been positive.
The song has come out hot on the heels of her high-profile split with Spanish footballer Gerard Pique and there’s very little doubt that Shakira has set out to burn her former partner.
The life-size witch that has appeared on a balcony of Shakira’s home and is staring down at the home of her mother-in-law’s house suggests the singer is less than impressed with how the split is playing out.
And she appears to be taking aim at Pique’s new love interest, 22-year-old Clara Chia Marty, with lyrics in Out Of Your League blasting: “I’m worth two 22s. You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo, you traded a Rolex for a Casio.”
While the break-up seems to be becoming ever more savage, writing a global hit and making millions as a result is definitely better than sitting at home, eating ice cream and not washing for days.
Taylor Swift is another example of a singer who has gone public with her feelings about the breakdown of a relationship.
What’s more, she has been very open about the fact one of her songs relates to one of her very famous exes.
She confirmed in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres that Forever and Always is about Joe Jonas, while We Are Never Getting Back Together is the ultimate break-up song.
Meanwhile, fans have never been able to work out for certain whether I Knew You Were Trouble relates to John Mayer, Jake Gyllenhaal or Harry Styles.
Nowadays, Pink and Carey Hart’s marriage is going strong – but it hasn’t always been that way.
They seem to have had more ups and downs, break-ups and make-ups than most, but without their struggles, the world wouldn’t have many of the songs that have made Pink a global superstar.
In particular, So What, has become an anthem for female empowerment and who hasn’t felt better belting it out after a particularly nasty split?
One: Don’t pick up the phone, you know he’s only callin’ ’cause he’s drunk and alone.
Two: Don’t let him in, you’ll have to kick him out again.
Three: Don’t be his friend, you know you’re gonna wake up in his bed in the mornin’ and if you’re under him, you ain’t gettin’ over him.
Has anyone ever written a better set of rules than Dua Lipa when it comes to moving on?
We’ve all been there – those late night calls from someone who doesn’t deserve your attention, but as long as you keep the lyrics of New Rules in mind, you’ll be okay.
