Prisoner (feat. Dua Lipa)

"Prisoner" explores the torment of being emotionally trapped in a toxic and addictive relationship. The lyrics convey a sense of being unable to escape the mental hold of a lover, even when desiring freedom. The core theme is one of emotional confinement, where the subject feels "locked up" and perpetually haunted by thoughts of their partner. It speaks to a controlling relationship where one person manipulates the other into staying. The repeated plea, "Why can't you, why can't you just let me go?", highlights the feeling of powerlessness and the desperate wish to be released from this emotional bondage. Miley Cyrus also noted that the song took on a new meaning during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the universal feeling of being trapped in isolation and forced to confront suppressed emotions. It captures the idea that during quarantine, there's no escaping one's own thoughts and feelings, making one a "prisoner" of their own mind.

The narrative unfolds from the perspective of someone utterly ensnared by a toxic, all-consuming love. This person feels like a prisoner, perpetually locked in a mental and emotional cage with the object of their affection. The opening verses paint a picture of obsession and helplessness. Phrases like "Strung out on a feeling" and "my hands are tied" immediately establish a sense of addiction and lack of control. The image of the lover's "face on my ceiling" during moments of fantasy highlights how this person's thoughts are completely dominated, even in private moments. There's a desperate attempt to break free, a flight to the distractions of "city lights," but it's a futile effort. The need for the emotional "high" this person provides is an inescapable craving, a cycle of dependency that the narrator admits they "can't control."

As the song progresses, the internal conflict intensifies. The pre-chorus reveals a maddening paradox: the lover continuously makes it more difficult to justify staying, yet the narrator finds themselves incapable of leaving. This push-and-pull dynamic is at the core of their torment. The repeated, pleading question, "Why can't you just let me go?" is a cry for release, not just from the other person, but from their own internal prison. It’s an admission that they lack the strength to break away on their own and need the captor to set them free.

The chorus serves as the song's central, powerful declaration. The word "Prisoner" is repeated, hammering home the theme of entrapment. Being "locked up" and unable to get the person off their mind, despite a "million times" of trying, encapsulates the exhaustive and demoralizing struggle. It's a confession of defeat in the battle for their own mind. The collaboration between the two vocalists in the chorus amplifies this feeling, suggesting a shared experience of being held captive by a powerful, damaging emotional connection. The song doesn't offer a resolution or an escape; instead, it leaves the listener immersed in the raw, cyclical nature of this emotional imprisonment, where the desire for freedom is constantly overpowered by an addictive, controlling love.

"Prisoner" was released on November 19, 2020, as the second single from Miley Cyrus's seventh studio album, Plastic Hearts. The track was a highly anticipated collaboration between Cyrus and Dua Lipa. The writing credits are extensive, including Cyrus, Lipa, Andrew Wotman (Watt), Jordan K. Johnson, Marcus Lomax, Stefan Johnson, Ali Tamposi, Jonathan Bellion, and Michael Pollack. Production was handled by Andrew Watt and The Monsters & Strangerz. The song was recorded in July 2020 at Gold Tooth Music in Los Angeles and Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California.

Cyrus revealed that she and Lipa had worked on other tracks before settling on "Prisoner," wanting to find a song that truly honored both of their individual styles. In an interview with Howard Stern, Cyrus explained that the song was written in different stages. Initially, she felt it sounded too much like a Dua Lipa song, which led her to invite Lipa to be on the track to make it feel genuine, similar to how she collaborated with Billy Idol on another album track that had his signature sound. However, in a 2025 podcast, Cyrus mentioned that the collaboration wasn't her idea and was pushed by her record label, who felt the album needed a commercial boost, even stating the song "isn't cohesive with the album."

"Prisoner" employs a fairly straightforward rhyme scheme in its verses, often using couplets (AA/BB) such as "Strung out on a feeling, my hands are tied / Your face on my ceiling, I fantasize". This simple structure makes the lyrics direct and impactful. The pre-chorus and chorus deviate slightly, focusing more on rhythmic repetition and cadence to build intensity. The repetition of phrases like "can't get you off my mind, off my mind" and "tried a million times, million times" creates a cyclical, obsessive feeling that mirrors the lyrical content of being mentally trapped.

The song's rhythm is a key component of its energy. It features a moderately-fast tempo (around 126-132 BPM) that drives the track forward with a dance-rock feel. The rhythm section combines a prominent, groovy bassline with a steady, propulsive drum beat, creating an infectious rhythm that contrasts with the dark, emotional subject matter. This juxtaposition of a euphoric, danceable rhythm with lyrics about being trapped creates a feeling of cathartic release, embodying the spirit of dancing through the pain. The interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical beat is tight, with the vocal delivery often accentuating the song's driving pulse, especially in the punchy chorus.

Musically, "Prisoner" is a fusion of genres, blending '80s-inspired disco-rock, glam rock, and nu-disco with modern pop sensibilities. A notable element is the interpolation of the chorus melody from Olivia Newton-John's 1981 hit "Physical," which gives the track a nostalgic anchor. The production features slick synths, a driving bassline, and a mix of electronic and live drums, creating a sound that is both retro and contemporary. The song is set in the key of E♭ minor with a tempo of around 126-132 BPM.

Vocally, the song showcases a powerful contrast between Miley Cyrus's raspy, rock-inflected tone and Dua Lipa's smoother, more traditional pop voice. Cyrus's delivery has been compared to rock icons like Joan Jett, while Lipa provides a sleek counterpoint. This interplay enhances the song's dynamic tension. Lyrically, the song uses direct and evocative imagery ("Your face on my ceiling, I fantasize") and repetition (the chorus hook "Prisoner, prisoner, locked up") to hammer home its central theme of entrapment. There's also a lyrical nod to Cyrus's own past work; the line "You keep making it harder to stay" contrasts with the plea "And if you ask me, I will stay" from her 2010 song "Stay".

Upon its release, "Prisoner" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the chemistry between Cyrus and Lipa and the song's successful blend of their respective styles within a retro-rock framework. It was seen as a highlight of Cyrus's Plastic Hearts era. The song achieved significant chart success globally, reaching number one in countries like Bulgaria and Croatia, and entering the top ten in over ten other nations. In major markets, it peaked at number 8 on the UK Official Singles Chart and number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The music video, co-directed by Cyrus, became a talking point for its raunchy, '80s glam-rock and punk aesthetic, drawing comparisons to films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and featuring a bold final message to the artists' exes. The song was also included on the reissue of Dua Lipa's successful album, Future Nostalgia: The Moonlight Edition, further cementing its place in the pop landscape of the early 2020s. Cyrus performed the song at several high-profile events, including the TikTok Tailgate pre-show for Super Bowl LV, solidifying its status as a key track from the album.

The central metaphor of the song is being a "prisoner" to a toxic love. This is not a literal imprisonment, but a powerful emotional and psychological one. Lyrics like "Strung out on a feeling, my hands are tied" and "Locked up, can't get you off my mind" vividly illustrate this concept of being held captive by one's own feelings and obsessive thoughts. The relationship is portrayed as an addiction, where the narrator needs the "high" from the other person and feels a sense of withdrawal and relapse when they try to pull away.

The music video, co-directed by Cyrus and Alana O'Herlihy, extends this symbolism with a grimy, rebellious, and punk-rock aesthetic. The chaotic tour bus ride, messy eating of cherries (staining them like blood), and the wild performance scenes symbolize a descent into debauchery and a loss of control, mirroring the song's lyrical themes. The video draws visual references from films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Female Trouble, reinforcing its glam-rock and counter-cultural vibe. The final message in the video, "In loving memory of all my exes, Eat shit," acts as a defiant, albeit cheeky, final statement, reclaiming power after the vulnerability expressed in the song.

The most significant recurring motif is the word "Prisoner" itself, which acts as the song's central hook and thematic core. Its repetition in the chorus, often paired with "locked up," relentlessly reinforces the feeling of inescapable emotional confinement.

Another key recurring phrase is "Can't get you off my mind," which is repeated multiple times in the chorus. This line is a classic pop trope, but here it's delivered with a sense of desperation and exhaustion, emphasizing the obsessive and torturous nature of the narrator's thoughts.

The question "Why can't you, why can't you just let me go?" serves as a recurring plea that appears in both the pre-chorus and chorus. It's a motif of desperate appeal, highlighting the narrator's perceived lack of agency and their dependence on the "captor" for freedom. Its repetition underscores the cyclical trap of the relationship.

Musically, the interpolated melody from Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" in the chorus acts as a recurring hook that grounds the song in an '80s aesthetic and adds a layer of intertextual reference.