Miley Cyrus has officially released her latest album, Younger Now, offering fans a raw and deeply personal look into her emotional evolution. While much of the public discourse surrounding the singer has focused on her high-profile relationship with actor Liam Hemsworth, the new record reveals a more nuanced layer of her romantic history—specifically, the difficulty of moving on from a past love while trying to build something new.
The Mystery of “She’s Not Him”
While tracks like “Malibu” clearly reference her connection to Hemsworth, the song “She’s Not Him” appears to address a different, more complicated chapter. Positioned toward the end of the album, the solo-written track seems to detail a relationship with a woman—widely speculated by fans and media to be model Stella Maxwell.
Though Cyrus never officially confirmed a relationship with Maxwell, the two were photographed together in 2015. The lyrics of “She’s Not Him” suggest a poignant conflict: an appreciation for a new partner’s beauty and presence, set against the inescapable shadow of an ex-lover.
A Conflict of Heart and Desire
The songwriting in “She’s Not Him” moves beyond simple heartbreak, touching on the guilt of being emotionally unavailable. Through her lyrics, Cyrus explores several key themes:
- Comparison and Incompatibility: Despite the physical and emotional attributes of her current partner, the singer admits that no one can fill the void left by a specific person.
- Emotional Guilt: Cyrus expresses regret for the hardship her emotional state caused her partner, singing, “You don’t deserve all the bullshit I’ve put you through.”
- The Inability to Love: The central tension of the song lies in the desire to love a new person versus the reality of an unshakeable attachment to another.
“There’s no other girl that looks like you, darling… Still no way you can take his place. You’re not him.”
Contextualizing the Relationship Cycles
This lyrical vulnerability provides context to the “on-again, off-again” nature of Cyrus’s relationship with Liam Hemsworth. The album highlights the turbulence that often accompanies high-profile romances and the periods of separation required for personal growth.
In previous interviews, Cyrus has reflected on the necessity of their time apart. Speaking to SiriusXM Music, she noted that the three-year hiatus from Hemsworth was essential, stating that she felt she was on the “right path” even when she was unsure if they would ever reunite.
Conclusion
Younger Now serves as a musical diary of a woman navigating the messy intersections of identity, heartbreak, and the struggle to find closure. By addressing the “in-between” relationships, Cyrus offers a more complete, if complicated, portrait of her journey toward self-discovery.
