Flowers

"Flowers" is a powerful and widely acclaimed anthem of self-love, independence, and resilience in the wake of a painful breakup. The song's central message is about reclaiming one's happiness and realizing that the love and care one seeks from a partner can be self-provided, often more effectively. The lyrics transition from the sorrow of a failed relationship to the joyful empowerment of self-sufficiency. The narrative traces the end of a romance that was once cherished ("We were good, we were gold") but ultimately fell apart ("Built a home and watched it burn"), a line that many interpret as a literal reference to the Malibu home she shared with ex-husband Liam Hemsworth that was destroyed in a fire.

The song's core meaning is articulated in the chorus, where the singer lists things a romantic partner might do—buy flowers, hold her hand, take her dancing—and defiantly states she can do them all for herself. This culminates in the ultimate declaration, "Yeah, I can love me better than you can," which serves as the song's thesis. It's a shift from depending on external validation to finding fulfillment from within. Furthermore, the song is widely interpreted as a direct response to Bruno Mars' 2012 hit "When I Was Your Man," where Mars laments not doing these very things for a former lover. It's rumored that Liam Hemsworth once dedicated the Bruno Mars song to Cyrus, adding a layer of personal and public history to her reclaiming of the narrative. Ultimately, "Flowers" transcends its specific inspirations to become a universal anthem for anyone healing from heartbreak, celebrating emotional independence and the profound power of self-love.

The narrative begins with a reflection on a past relationship that was once precious and seemingly perfect, described as being "good" and "gold," a dream that couldn't be bought. However, this idyllic state didn't last. The relationship soured, symbolized by the powerful image of building a home together only to watch it burn down, a direct reference to the actual loss of a shared home and the metaphorical destruction of their shared life. The singer confesses that leaving wasn't her desire, nor did she want to engage in falsehoods or conflict. As tears begin to well up, a moment of profound realization strikes, shifting the song's entire emotional trajectory.

This epiphany is the core of the song: the recognition of her own capacity for self-care and happiness. She declares that she can provide for herself all the romantic gestures she once expected from her partner. She can buy her own flowers, write her own name in the sand on a beach, and engage in deep conversations with herself for hours, understanding herself in ways her ex-partner never could. This list of self-sufficient acts continues as she affirms she can take herself dancing and, most intimately, hold her own hand. The ultimate declaration and recurring theme is the powerful statement: "Yeah, I can love me better than you can."

The second verse reinforces this newfound independence. She describes painting her nails a vibrant cherry red, a color that matches the roses her ex once left behind. This act transforms a potential reminder of a painful past into an act of personal reclamation and beauty. She explicitly states she has "no remorse, no regret" and has forgiven every word her former partner said, indicating a move towards healing and letting go of bitterness. Once again, she recalls the moment of near-despair, the impulse to cry, which is immediately supplanted by the empowering memory of her own strength and autonomy. The chorus repeats, solidifying this anthem of self-love. The song becomes a mantra of independence, a celebration of finding fulfillment, comfort, and a superior form of love from within, turning the solitude following a breakup into a space for joyful self-discovery and empowerment.

"Flowers" was written by Miley Cyrus, Gregory "Aldae" Hein, and Michael Pollack in January 2022 at Sunset Sound Recorders studio in Hollywood, California. According to Pollack, the song initially began as a much "slower and sadder" ballad, with the chorus's melody and lyrics forming simultaneously around a piano. The song's original lyrics even reflected this somber tone, with a chorus that went: "I can buy myself flowers, write my name in the sand, but I can’t love me better than you can." Cyrus revealed that she changed it from a 1950s-style sad song to the empowering anthem it became.

The track was produced by Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, who transformed it into the upbeat, disco-funk-infused song that was released. The song was officially announced during Cyrus's NBC New Year's Eve special on December 31, 2022. It was released as the lead single from her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, on January 12, 2023, in some parts of the world, and January 13 globally. The release date notably coincided with the birthday of her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, fueling speculation that the song was largely inspired by their relationship and divorce. This strategic timing, combined with lyrical references and the widely discussed connection to the Bruno Mars song "When I Was Your Man," created significant buzz and intrigue even before its release.

"Flowers" utilizes a straightforward yet effective rhyme scheme and rhythmic structure that contribute to its catchiness and powerful delivery.

Rhyme Scheme: The song generally follows a consistent rhyme pattern within its sections, typical of pop music. For example, in the first verse, the structure is roughly AABC, with "gold" and "sold" creating a perfect rhyme. The chorus employs a more repetitive structure, where the end words of parallel phrases rhyme or are identical, such as in "I can take myself dancing / And I can hold my own hand," which relies on parallel structure more than strict rhyme, emphasizing the list of actions. The true rhyme in the chorus is between "sand" and "understand," and the powerful concluding line, "Yeah, I can love me better than you can," rhymes with the previous two.

Rhythm and Meter: The song is set in a common 4/4 time signature with a steady, mid-tempo groove that drives its danceable quality. The rhythm is heavily influenced by disco and funk, characterized by a prominent, syncopated bassline and a consistent four-on-the-floor kick drum pattern. This creates a feeling that is both relaxed and propulsive. Lyrically, the rhythm of the vocal delivery is conversational in the verses, building to a more emphatic and rhythmically aligned phrasing in the chorus. The interplay between the vocal melody's rhythm and the instrumental groove is key to the song's appeal, making the empowering message not just something to hear, but something to feel and move to. The transition from the verse's pensive rhythm to the chorus's liberating, dance-floor-ready beat mirrors the emotional journey from sadness to self-celebration.

"Flowers" employs a blend of musical and literary techniques to deliver its empowering message effectively.

Musical Techniques:

• Genre Fusion: The song skillfully merges 70s disco and funk with contemporary pop. This is evident in the prominent, groovy bassline, four-on-the-floor kick drum, and the use of strings, which evoke classics like Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive."
• Minimalist Production: While having a lush, retro-inspired soundscape, the production remains sleek and minimalistic, allowing Cyrus's vocals and the core message to remain the focus.
• Vocal Delivery: Cyrus's vocal performance is notable for its dynamic range and emotional texture. Her voice shifts from a more subdued, husky tone in the verses to a powerful, clear belt in the chorus, mirroring the song's thematic shift from reflection to confident declaration.
• Hook Arrangement: The song features multiple catchy hooks, including the foundational bass hook that runs throughout, the main lyrical hook of the chorus, and the repetitive post-chorus chant ("I can love me better baby"), which enhances its memorability.

Literary Techniques:

• First-Person Narrative: The use of "I" throughout the song creates a direct, personal, and assertive narrative voice, making the declaration of independence feel authentic and powerful.
• Allusion/Intertextuality: The most significant literary device is the allusion to Bruno Mars' song "When I Was Your Man." Cyrus's lyrics directly invert the sentiments expressed in Mars's chorus, creating a powerful conversational rebuttal that reclaims the narrative.
• Imagery: The song uses simple, potent imagery like buying flowers, writing a name in the sand, and a burning home to convey complex emotions of love, loss, and recovery in a universally relatable way.

"Flowers" had a massive cultural impact upon its release, becoming a global phenomenon and one of the defining songs of 2023. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and spent eight non-consecutive weeks at the top, becoming Cyrus's second number-one hit after "Wrecking Ball" (2013). The song topped the charts in over 37 countries, including the UK, Canada, and Australia. It broke numerous streaming records, becoming the most-streamed song in a single week on Spotify and the fastest song to surpass one billion streams on the platform. The IFPI named it the best-selling global single of 2023.

The song's success was cemented at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, where it earned Cyrus her first-ever Grammy wins for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. Her live performance at the ceremony, where she ad-libbed, "Started to cry, but then remembered I... just won my first Grammy!" became an iconic moment.

Culturally, "Flowers" became a viral anthem for self-love and empowerment, resonating deeply with listeners navigating breakups and celebrating independence. Its release on her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth's birthday, and its clever lyrical response to Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man," fueled widespread discussion and fan theories on social media, amplifying its reach. The song has been used extensively in social media content and has been covered by various artists, solidifying its place as a modern pop standard and a significant touchstone in conversations about self-care and emotional resilience.

"Flowers" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that reinforce its themes of independence and empowerment.

• Flowers: The central symbol is the flower itself. Traditionally a romantic gift from a partner, Cyrus reclaims this symbol to represent self-love and appreciation. The act of buying herself flowers is a declaration that she does not need external validation to feel loved or special.
• Burning Home: The lyric "Built a home and watched it burn" is a powerful metaphor for the destruction of a relationship. It also serves as a literal reference to the Malibu home Cyrus shared with Liam Hemsworth, which was destroyed in the 2018 Woolsey fire, grounding the emotional metaphor in a real, shared traumatic event.
• Dancing and Holding Hands: These actions, typically done with a partner, are transformed into acts of self-care and contentment in solitude. Taking herself dancing and holding her own hand symbolize emotional self-reliance and finding comfort and joy in her own company.
• Painting Nails Cherry Red: In the second verse, the line "Paint my nails, cherry red / Match the roses that you left" symbolizes reclamation. She takes a remnant of the past relationship (the roses he left) and transforms its memory into an act of personal beautification and control, signifying that she has moved on without regret.

The most prominent recurring motif in "Flowers" is the list of self-care actions that directly counters traditional romantic gestures. The phrases "I can buy myself flowers," "I can take myself dancing," and "I can hold my own hand" are repeated in the chorus, forming the core anthem of the song. This repetition drills home the central theme of self-sufficiency and independence.

The song's ultimate recurring phrase and central message is the hook, "I can love me better than you can," which is reinforced by the post-chorus chant, "Can love me better." This repetition functions as a powerful affirmation, turning the song into a mantra of self-love and empowerment. The slight variation in the final chorus, where Cyrus sings "Yeah, I can love me better than, yeah, I can love me better than you can," builds tension and emphasizes the finality and confidence of her declaration. The structural motif of starting to cry before remembering her own strength ("Started to cry but then remembered I...") appears twice, highlighting the pivotal moment of emotional transformation from despair to empowerment.