Miley Cyrus certainly is no stranger to reinventing herself, although this time, she seems to have garner public approval, a rarity in her recent career. Once a Disney darling as the beloved lead on Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus shocked many with her controversial new persona, best represented by provocative performance at the 2013 VMAs with Robin Thicke. But that was many personas ago, and Miley Cyrus released a new album, Plastic Hearts, and with it came a new 80’s synth/rock look.

Pressing play on her first song, WTF Do I Know, pleasantly surprised me, as I haven’t heard these kinds of sounds from her before. There are very few songs on this 15 song album that didn’t start off with an intriguing and catchy intro. Ironically, but not too surprisingly, her hit single, Midnight Sky, was one of my least favorite songs on the album, although some of that may be attributed to its seemingly ubiquitous presence. 

“I really liked Plastic Hearts because it feels really authentic, especially because Miley Cyrus has been through so many different stages in her identity,” Senior Mae Merkle said. “I’m also a big rock fan, so some of the featured artists are really exciting for me. Overall I thought the album was amazing and I can tell there was a lot of hard work and emotion put into it!” 

Although I can’t say I’ll ever be Miley Cyrus’ biggest fan, she deserves a lot of credit, from my perspective, for her courage and dedication evident on this album. For instance, Angels Like You’s lyrics felt intensely personal, and shed some light on her character and struggles. Night Crawling’s strong beat and Billy Idol collaboration won me over on the first listen, an impressive feat considering I often only fully appreciate songs on the 11th or so listen. A sucker for emotional songs, I thought Hate Me was a honest, albeit dark, notable mention, as well as Never Be Me. Much to my chagrin, I never expected her self-awareness and insecurities, but I was captivated by her resolve to accept herself and be transparent about who she is, despite having tried to change. My staunchest recommendation is that you listen to her cover of Zombie, originally a rock song by the Cranberries, as it’s excellently sung. 

 Like Cyrus herself, the album was far from perfect, but it was a unique blend of rock and 80s pop, and a respectable endeavor that sent shock waves across popular culture. 

This changing public image seems to complement Cyrus quite perfectly, both in terms of her naturally raspy voice and her rebellious and bold personality. I’m curious to see if this album widens Cyrus’ audience appeal, and alter’s public perception. Though it’s ultimately not up to me to decide, from what I’m seeing, she’s really, finally, found her sound.