“I got my sights set on you, and I’m ready to aim.”
These are the first words from the first track of Miley Cyrus’ first album. I was six years old, and I felt like she was speaking to me directly.
Miley quickly became so much to me and millions of other young girls across the country. Whether as Hannah Montana or just Miley, we saw pieces of ourselves in her.
Over the past 15 years, Miley’s career has climbed to incredible highs and disappointing lows. She became known as another Disney Channel star who “lost her way,” as my mom said.
I remember a period of four or five years when supporting her was unpopular after a string of media moments, a messy divorce and a new sound. I call these “The Lost Years.”
Today, the “Miley Cyrus Renaissance” is upon us. Since the release of her 2020 album “Plastic Hearts,” she leaned into a pop-rock melody that utilized her remarkable register. 
On March 10, she released her eighth studio album, “Endless Summer Vacation,” detailing growth and self-reflection through trying experiences.
The album opens with the lead single “Flowers,” an anthem showing independence after a long-term relationship bites the dust. It directly contrasts Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man,” with Miley singing “I can buy myself flowers … and I can hold my own hand.”
I believe this song, and many others on the record, is about the fall of her short-lived marriage with actor Liam Hemsworth, with whom she “built a home and watched it burn.”
Track two, “Jaded,” follows a couple where one falls out of love faster than the other, leaving one person to give everything to keep the relationship afloat. It sounds as if Miley is being gaslighted by her partner, since she is the one apologizing, saying, “you’re lonely now and I hate it / I’m sorry that you’re jaded.”
Miley plays pretend in track three, “Rose Colored Lenses.” She feels at peace with the state of her relationship but knows that there could be trouble on the horizon. She wishes the honeymoon phase could last forever.
The album’s title “Endless Summer Vacation” comes from this track and reflects an overarching theme: finding the silver lining through self-love.
Track four, “Thousand Miles,” brings in folk-artist Brandi Carlile to tell a story about being lost with little direction. The duo plays into the negative stereotypes Miley has been given in the past and changes its meaning.
“You” is an interesting twist on a traditional love song. The cadence of the song sounds like the first dance at a wedding, with the message of reckless love turned tame. 
“Handstand” opens with a synth-pop spoken word about a wild night on a beach with somebody named Twitchy. I could not figure out what this song was about with its mentions of unicorns, manta rays and electric eels.
“River” is the second single from the album, though it sounds like it belongs on her last album “Plastic Hearts.”
It is undeniably one of the stronger tracks and I could imagine this being played in a club. She feels like she is drowning in the highs and lows of her relationship, singing “heart beats so loud that it’s drowning me out / livin’ in an April shower.”
“Violet Chemistry,” track eight, is Miley sensing the physical and emotional chemistry after a one-night stand asking him to “stay awhile.” It is one of the only instances on the album where she reflects an acceptance of codependency.
Sia provides support on “Muddy Feet,” where they sing about the trail an ex leaves post-breakup.
Track 10, “Wildcard,” could be the most self-reflective song on the entire album. She pities her partner who has done nothing wrong, but Miley’s unpredictability will most likely lead to the couple’s downfall.
She talks about the life they could have if her nature refused to get the better of her and she sings “loving you is never enough, I’m a wild card … Forever may never come.”
The penultimate track, “Island,” sonically reminds me of a tropical escape. Miley is torn between continuing her relationship and ending it, singing, “Am I stranded on an island / or have I landed in paradise?”
Miley saves the best for last with “Wonder Woman.” The song follows a resilient woman who has lived through experiences of joy and pain. She refuses to burden anyone else with her vulnerability.
I am reminded of a mother or grandmother, who “… makes sure that no one’s ‘round to see her fall apart / She wants to be the one that never does.” She opts for a simple piano to carry the melody, rather than the artificial instrumentals a majority of the album had.
In all, I enjoyed “Endless Summer Vacation.” The themes dove deeper than I anticipated and there were some fun tracks. I think what hinders Miley Cyrus from making truly great albums is the lack of lyrical growth. She has the experiences, but she just needs to explore them better.