Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Miley Cyrus fans spot 4 ‘digs’ at Liam Hemsworth in new song Flowers

The new single was released on Liam Hemsworth’s birthday

Megan Graye
Monday 16 January 2023 13:26 GMT
Comments
Miley Cyrus confirms marriage to Liam Hemsworth

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Miley Cyrus has made her long-awaited return with new single “Flowers”, and fans have been busy scouring for clues.

The empowering track and accompanying video are rumoured to include multiple references to Cyrus’s ex-husband, Australian actor Liam Hemsworth.

The former couple dated on and off for over a decade, marrying in 2018 then divorcing a year later.

Cyrus fans began speculating over the subject of “Flowers” after noticing that it was scheduled for release on 13 January 2023, which also happened to mark Hemsworth’s 33rd birthday.

The new single also features cutting lyrics such as: “I can love me better than you can.”

Later in the song, the words are even more direct: “Paint my nails cherry-red / Match the roses that you left / No remorse, no regret / I forget every word you said.”

Here are some of the other “clues” that fans have picked up on.

The release date

Cyrus chose to make her comeback on a very specific date.

Friday 13 January, the day of the release, also happens to be Hemsworth’s birthday. Just a funny coincidence? Fans think not.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIAM HEMSWORTH,” joked one fan, sharing pictures of the couple together as Cyrus released the single.

A Bruno Mars reference?

Many believe the song’s self-love themed title and chorus is a reference to Bruno Mars’s single “When I Was Your Man”, which Hemsworth is rumoured to have dedicated to Cyrus while they were together.

In her song, Cyrus sings: “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.”

In his song, Mars sings: “I should have bought you flowers/ And held you hand/ Should have gave you all my hours/ When I had the chance/ Take you to every party ‘cause all you wanted to do was dance.”

Amazon Music logo

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)

Sign up
Amazon Music logo

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)

Sign up

The house in the music video

Cyrus in the garden of a luxurious home in her music video
Cyrus in the garden of a luxurious home in her music video (Miley Cyrus)

The song lyrics seem to reference the house the couple shared together in Malibu, which burnt down in the California wildfires in 2018 (“built a home and watched it burn”).

Cyrus appears in a different property in the music video, which some publications have reported as being the Studio City home Cyrus purchased in 2011, perhaps asserting the song’s theme of independence.

In the music video, Cyrus can be seen dancing and exercising around the luxurious LA home in black lace underwear, gymwear and a black suit.

The suit she’s wearing

The ex-couple attending the Avengers premiere together in 2019
The ex-couple attending the Avengers premiere together in 2019 (Getty Images for Disney)

Later on in the new music video, Cyrus wears an oversized black suit as she dances freely around the house. Many fans believe this to be the suit similar to the one Hemsworth wore in a very specific awkward moment for the couple.

In a red carpet appearance while the couple were together, Hemsworth is believed to have said “could you behave, for once?” to Cyrus when she pretended to lick him at an Avengers movie premiere.

Cyrus then pushed Hemsworth away and proceeded to have photos taken on her own.

Now, fans believe Cyrus is dancing around in the new video wearing Hemworth’s suit from that night.

“Flowers” is out now.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in