Miley Cyrus releases new disco-inspired song 'Midnight Sky' and self-directed music video

Miley Cyrus is back and vibrant as ever with a new single called 'Midnight Sky', which dropped at midnight in the US.

Cyrus was counting down the seconds to the release on social media - joined by supporters such as her dad Billy Ray Cyrus and Justin Bieber - and also shared a brand new disco-inspired music video with her fans just hours ago, which she self-directed.

The song is an unapologetic anthem for liberated women everywhere and comes on the heels of her break up from Cody Simpson, who she revealed she had split from yesterday in an Instagram Live.

The singer said they were “individually working on” themselves after dating for ten months - a relationship that saw them post numerous joint TikToks from lockdown in the US.

'Midnight Sky' is Miley Cyrus’ first completely self-directed music video, though she had previously helped co-direct other projects. Full of rainbows, glitter and Chanel, the music video sees Cyrus sing to a room of life-size rainbow animals as gigantic sparklers go off around her as well as lounge on a bed of gumballs almost completely nude.

Fans and music critics have pointed out influences from the likes of Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett and Debbie Harry within the song. Many have dissected its lyrics, with some fans believing that the song references the singer’s past relationships with Liam Hemsworth and short-lived fling with Kaitlynn Carter.

One of the lyrics hints at a relationship which was meant to last “forever and ever, no more” - perhaps hinting at her former marriage to Hemsworth - while another lyric seems to reference the media storm surrounding her following relationship with Carter: “my lips on her mouth/Everybody’s talking now, baby.”

To celebrate the music video release, Cyrus said she wanted to "hop into some zooms" to join her fans' listening parties on Twitter. She delivered on her promise as fans shared screenshots of Cyrus in their Zooms, with one writing "thank you for popping in!!"

Miley Cyrus has yet to release a date for her upcoming album She Is Miley Cyrus but has teased its arrival, cryptically promising fans that they would get to "meet Miley Cyrus...again."