Inspired (song)

"Inspired" is a song recorded by American singer Miley Cyrus. It was released on June 9, 2017, as a promotional single from her sixth studio album Younger Now (2017). Written and produced by Cyrus and Oren Yoel, "Inspired" is a country ballad about creating a difference in the world. Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign inspired Cyrus to write the track, which references her father Billy Ray and her childhood in Tennessee. Media suggested that this song was as an example of Cyrus' career change following the more hip hop approach to her fourth studio album Bangerz.

"Inspired"
Promotional single by Miley Cyrus
from the album Younger Now
ReleasedJune 9, 2017 (2017-06-09)
StudioHouse of Blues Studios (Nashville)
GenreCountry
Length3:21
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Oren Yoel
  • Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus promotional singles chronology
"Hands of Love"
(2015)		 "Inspired"
(2017)		 "Week Without You"
(2017)

"Inspired" was first made available for music download and streaming during Pride Month. Cyrus donated her personal profits from the song to her Happy Hippie Foundation, which deals with homelessness among LGBTQ youth. Her fans created a lyric video, which she shared on her Instagram account. Critics had a mixed response to the song. "Inspired" charted in Australia, Russia, and Spain. Cyrus promoted the track with live performances, including at the One Love Manchester benefit concert.

Background and recording

Miley Cyrus wrote and produced "Inspired" with Oren Yoel for her sixth studio album Younger Now (2017).[1] The pair have writing and production credits on all of the album's tracks.[2] Paul David Hager recorded "Inspired" at the House of Blues Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and mixed it with assistance from Mark Ralston.[1][3][4] Doran Dina was the audio engineer and Dave Kutch mastered the final version. Backing musicians included: Nicole Row, bass guitar; Matt Walker, cello; Antoine Silverman, fiddle; Jaco Caraco and James Arentzen, guitar; and Paul Franklin, pedal steel guitar. As well as playing drums, Stacy Jones was the song's music director.[1]

Cyrus based the lyrics on Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.[5] A week prior to campaigning for Clinton, Cyrus was caught in the middle of a funeral procession and was surrounded by mourners. The situation caused her to reflect on her family and environmental issues, leading her to develop the concept for the song.[6] The day after the 2016 United States presidential election, Cyrus sent the song to Clinton, who responded with a letter.[5]

Music and lyrics

"Inspired" is a country ballad lasting three minutes and 21 seconds.[3][7][8] Composed in the key of G major, the song uses common time and a tempo of 104 beats per minute.[9] The instrumental focuses on string instruments,[10] and Entertainment Weekly's Eric King described the sound as "backroad [and] fiddle-prone."[11] The Ringer's Lindsay Zoladz identified the song as acoustic and downtempo.[2] Music journalist John Norris wrote that the final version had a richer production than the more sparse demo he had heard while visiting Cyrus in April 2017.[5] Cyrus' vocal range, described as raspy by Billboard's Zachariah Porter, is between the low note of G3 and the high note of C5.[9][12] Music critics referred to "Inspired" as the singer's return to country music,[11][13] following Cyrus' foray into hip hop music for her fourth studio album, Bangerz.[7][14] Media outlets wrote that Cyrus adopted a flower child persona for the song.[15][16][17]

In an interview on The Zach Sang Show, Cyrus said "Inspired" was a "new, older version" of her 2009 single "The Climb".[18] Throughout the song, she hopes the world will improve.[17] "Inspired" begins with the lyrics "I'm writing down my dreams, all I'd like to see, starting with the bees, or else they're gonna die",[9] which Bustle's Dana Getz interpreted as a commentary on climate change.[19] The song transitions into Cyrus' memories of her father Billy Ray Cyrus and her childhood in Tennessee.[19] She sings about running barefoot, spending time with her dad in a creek, and getting words of encouragement from him.[7][16] Cyrus said she was inspired by the stories Clinton told of her father, Hugh Rodham, during the 2016 United States presidential debates. Norris interpreted the chorus "we are meant for more, with a handle on the door, that opens up for change" as intended to celebrate the victory of Clinton in the 2016 election.[5][19] On the other hand, Getz attributed the chorus as Cyrus reaching out to her fans.[19] The final verse, with the lyrics "death is life, it's not a curse, reminds us of time and what it's worth", is about fear and the future.[19][20] The song ends with the lyric "is anyone watching us down here" which Anna Gaca of Spin likened to an appeal to God.[21] E! News' Zach Johnson wrote that "Inspired" also addresses mental health.[18]

Release and promotion

RCA released "Inspired" as a promotional single from Younger Now.[22] It was the second song from the album, following the release of its lead single "Malibu".[5][20] "Inspired" was made available on June 9, 2017 via music download and streaming.[23][24] Cyrus donated her personal profits from the song to her Happy Hippie Foundation, which focuses on homelessness among LGBTQ youth.[19] The single's cover photograph was taken by her fiancé, Liam Hemsworth, who also did the artwork for "Malibu".[25][26] Cyrus released the song during Pride Month in response to what she called a "desperate cry for more love in this world."[18] On July 1, she shared a fan-made lyric video through her Instagram account. In the video, the singer's fans hold handwritten lyrics while lip syncing to the track; Cyrus said she "shed a few tears" on seeing it.[27]

Cyrus promoted the track with live performances. She first performed "Inspired" on May 26, 2017, during an episode of Today.[7] She also sang it as part of the One Love Manchester concert where she dedicated it to Manchester.[20][28] Her performance received positive reviews from media outlets.[29][30][31] On June 11, she sang it during the Washington, D.C. pride festival, where she was the headliner for the event.[32] On June 16, she performed "Inspired" and "Malibu" as the closing for an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[33] She also sang it for the iHeartSummer '17 concert, sponsored by iHeartMedia, and dedicated the performance to the LGBT community.[13][34]

Reception

Critical response

"Inspired" received positive reviews. Getz said the simplicity of the lyrics was appropriate for the divisive political climate in the United States.[19] Porter described "Inspired" as a gay anthem and enjoyed its focus on LGBT equality and self-confidence.[12] Teen Vogue's Suzannah Weiss summed up the single as being an "uplifting message [that] is much-needed right now."[7] Cillea Houghton of Taste Of Country praised "Inspired" as Miley's dedication to her dad,[35] and Norris called it one of the best Father's Day presents.[5] Alex Young of Consequence of Sound likened the single to music recorded by Loretta Lynn and Emmylou Harris.[36] McDermott praised Cyrus' vocals for her "soaring harmonies" and "blissful croon",[10] and Brian Cantor of Headline Planet wrote that she balanced her emotional performance with restraint.[37] NME's Leonie Cooper praised the instrumental was "delicate [and] fiddle-laced."[38]

Other critics had a more negative response. Tom Breihan of Stereogum cited the single as an example of how Cyrus' career change was "absolutely forced and cynical",[39] and McDermott questioned the effectiveness of the lyrics, which he compared to a word salad.[10] Gaca criticized "Inspired" as lacking the intensity of "The Climb" and referred to Halsey's duet with Lauren Jauregui on "Strangers" as a superior LGBT anthem.[21] Along with the album tracks "I Would Die For You" and "Miss You So Much", Noisey's Richard S. Hei felt Cyrus was unsuccessful in her attempt to emotionally bond with the listener.[40] Gaca questioned Cyrus' decision to record a tribute to her father when he had said that his daughter's Hannah Montana fame ruined their family.[21]

Commercial performance

Commercially, "Inspired" reached number 152 on the French SNEP singles chart for one week.[41] It debuted and peaked at number 97 on the Australian ARIA chart.[42] The single reached number 450 on the Russian Tophit chart.[43] According to Cantor, "Inspired" performed poorly during its first day on Spotify and the iTunes Store.[37]

Track listing
Music download[23]
No.TitleLength
1."Inspired"3:21

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Younger Now:[1]

Recording location
  • House of Blues Studios (Nashville)
Credits
  • Bass – Nicole Row
  • Cello – Matt Walker
  • Drums, Music Director, Producer – Stacy Jones
  • Fiddle – Antoine Silverman
  • Guitar – Jaco Caraco, James Arentzen
  • Mixed By [Assistant], Recorded By [Assistant] – Mark Ralston
  • Mixed By, Recorded By – Paul David Hager
  • Pedal Steel Guitar – Paul Franklin
  • Producer – Oren Yoel, Miley Cyrus
  • Written By – Miley Cyrus, Oren Yoel
  • Mastered By – Dave Kutch
  • Engineer – Doron Dina

Charts
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[42] 97
France (SNEP)[41] 152
Russia Airplay (Tophit)[43] 450

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Various June 9, 2017
RCA [23][24]
gollark: I don't know, I'm reposting the trade with a stunned hatchling.
gollark: I don't think it has the views to grow anyway.
gollark: 7 hours till it can grow.
gollark: Well, nobody's offering what I actually want most (green CB copper).
gollark: Which are probably worth more: descendants of 2G prizekins or 3G golds/silvers?

References
  1. Younger Now (Inlay cover). Miley Cyrus. RCA. September 29, 2017.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. Zoladz, Lindsay (October 3, 2017). "The Growing Pains of Miley Cyrus". The Ringer. Archived from the original on October 6, 2017.
  3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  4. Kennedy, Gerrick (June 9, 2017). "Listen to Miley Cyrus' new single, 'Inspired,' released in honor of LGBTQ Pride Month". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 28, 2017.
  5. Norris, John (June 11, 2017). "Miley Cyrus' Pride Single 'Inspired' Has a Hillary Clinton and Father's Day Angle as Well". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 21, 2018.
  6. Garcia-Navarro, Lulu (September 24, 2017). "'I'm Not Afraid Of Who I Used To Be': Miley Cyrus On 'Younger Now'". NPR Music. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018.
  7. Weiss, Suzannah (May 27, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Performs New Song "Inspired" on the Today Show". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  8. "Miley Cyrus Goes Full Country On Stripped-Back Ballad "Inspired"". Idolator. June 8, 2017. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018.
  9. "Inspired by Miley Cyrus (Digital Sheet Music)". Musicnotes.com. 2017. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  10. McDermott, Maeve (September 28, 2017). "Review: Miley Cyrus' 'Younger Now' is a sanitized country-pop fantasy". USA Today. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  11. King, Eric (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus cries for 'more love' on new single 'Inspired'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 29, 2018.
  12. Porter, Zachariah (August 18, 2017). "6 Reasons Miley Cyrus is a LGBTQ Superhero". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018.
  13. Nodell, Andrew (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Releases New Track for Pride Month". Women's Wear Daily. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  14. Sargent, Jordan (May 4, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Still Has an Uncomfortable Relationship With Rap". Spin. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018.
  15. Gilbride, Tricia (June 9, 2017). "Listen to Miley Cyrus' new song, 'Inspired'". Mashable. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018.
  16. Bryant, Taylor (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Is Peak Flower Child On New Track "Inspired"". Nylon. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  17. Stegemoeller, Kristen (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Goes Deeper Into Flower Child Territory With Her New Song, 'Inspired'". Paper. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017.
  18. Johnson, Zach (September 29, 2017). "Decoding the Lyrics in Miley Cyrus' Younger Now Album". E! News. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018.
  19. Getz, Dana (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus' "Inspired" Lyrics Are All About Making A Difference". Bustle. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017.
  20. Kreps, Daniel (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Gets Uplifting With Country-Tinged New Song 'Inspired'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  21. Gaca, Anna (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus' "Inspired" Feels Disingenuous". Spin. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  22. The following media outlets have referenced "Inspired" as a promotional single:
  23. "Inspired - Single". Apple Music. June 9, 2017. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  24. "Miley Cyrus - Inspired (Audio)". Spotify. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.(subscription required)
  25. Bahou, Olivia (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Returns to Her Country Roots on New Track "Inspired"". InStyle. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  26. Truong, Peggy (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Just Released Another Single and This Time, She's All Country". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017.
  27. Iasimone, Ashley (July 1, 2017). "Watch the Fan-Made 'Inspired' Video That Made Miley Cyrus Cry". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  28. Iasimone, Ashley (June 4, 2017). "One Love Manchester: Ariana Grande Calls Benefit Concert 'The Medicine the World Needs,' Justin Bieber Pays Emotional Tribute to Victims". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018.
  29. Houghton, Cillea (June 5, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Offers Hope with 'Inspired' At One Love Manchester Concert [Watch]". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017.
  30. Brucculieri, Julia (June 4, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Sings Moving Rendition Of 'Inspired' At Manchester Benefit Concert". HuffPost. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017.
  31. LaCroix, Emy (June 4, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Brings Crowd To Tears With Heartfelt Song 'Inspired' At One Love Manchester". Hollywood Life. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  32. Walsh, Lara (June 12, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Unleashed All the Rainbows for Her Pride Concert Performance". InStyle. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  33. Seemayer, Zach (June 14, 2017). "Miley Cyrus and Jimmy Fallon Go Undercover as Subway Singers During 'Tonight Show' Takeover". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  34. Beck, Laura (June 11, 2017). "Miley Cyrus Just Dedicated a Performance of 'Inspired' to the LGBTQ Community and I'm Crying". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  35. Houghton, Cillea (June 1, 2017). "Miley Cyrus' 'Inspired' is a Sweet Song for Her Dad That Features a Fiddle". Taste of Country. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  36. Young, Alex (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus shares new song "Inspired" — listen". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on September 5, 2018.
  37. Cantor, Brian (2017). ""Inspired" Again Reminds Us That Miley Cyrus Is An Exceptional Artist (Review)". Headline Planet. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018.
  38. Cooper, Leonie. "Miley Cyrus – 'Younger Now' Review". NME. Archived from the original on September 27, 2017.
  39. Breihan, Tom (June 9, 2017). "Miley Cyrus – "Inspired"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018.
  40. He, Richard S. (October 2, 2017). "'Younger Now' Is Miley in Reverse". Noisey. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017.
  41. "Miley Cyrus – Inspired". lescharts.com. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
  42. "ARIA Chart Watch #425". auspOp. June 17, 2017. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017.
  43. "Miley Cyrus – Inspired". Tophit. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017.
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