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3 years after releasing "Flowers," Miley Cyrus sang new lyrics at the Hollywood Bowl. Here are the song's rumored Liam Hemsworth references.

19 October 2026 at 21:45
Miley cyrus at Hollywood Bowl stitched with her and Liam.
Miley Cyrus ad-libbed lyrics for her hit single "Flowers" after selling out the Hollywood Bowl.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation, Presley Ann/WireImage via Getty Images

  • Miley Cyrus changed the lyrics to her hit song "Flowers" after selling out the Hollywood Bowl.
  • She held a two-night run at the venue in October, her first full solo concert in four years.
  • Some fans say "Flowers," released in early 2023, is a diss track to her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth.

After selling out a two-night residency at the Hollywood Bowl in October, Miley Cyrus changed the lyrics of an integral part of her hit song, "Flowers."

She ad-libbed about selling out the iconic venue before the chorus: "Started to cry, but then remembered I sold out the Hollywood Bowl!"

She added similar lyrics to "Flowers" in 2024 when she performed it after winning her first Grammy.

The ad-lib now seems to be a way for Cyrus to celebrate her wins, and fans have suggested since its release in 2023 that the song was written as a diss track against her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth. The two married in 2018 and divorced a year later.

Representatives for Hemsworth did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Here are the Easter eggs you may have missed in "Flowers."

Miley Cyrus released her single "Flowers" in 2023 — and many fans think the song takes aim at her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth.
Miley Cyrus in the YouTube video for "Flowers."
Fans think "Flowers" is a dig at Hemsworth.

Miley Cyrus/YouTube

As Business Insider previously reported, Cyrus and Hemsworth met on the set of "The Last Song," which was released in 2010, and dated on and off for several years. The couple married in 2018 and divorced a year later. The split was finalized in January 2020.

While Cyrus hasn't confirmed that "Flowers" is about her relationship with Hemsworth, the single's release date, lyrics, and other hidden details offer a few clues to the song's meaning.

The song was released on Liam Hemsworth's birthday.
Liam Hemsworth Miley Cyrus
Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus attended the "Avengers: Endgame" premiere.

VALERIE MACON / Getty Images

The buzz around "Flowers" began when fans noticed its release date.

The single dropped on January 13 — Hemsworth's 33rd birthday — a detail that was not lost on Cyrus' fans. 

 

Miley’s telling the world she can love herself better ON LIAM’S BIRTHDAY?! she definitely didn’t lie when she said she’s got nerve https://t.co/Pp7fi5yuqa

— 𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔 (@mileywrld) January 1, 2023

"She definitely didn't lie when she said she's got nerve," one user tweeted. 

Many fans think "Flowers" resembles Bruno Mars' song, "When I Was Your Man."
miley cyrus liam hemsworth

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

In "When I Was Your Man," Mars sings that he wishes he "bought you flowers, and held your hand."

Although Mars isn't credited as a songwriter on "Flowers," Cyrus sings "I can buy myself flowers," and "I can hold my own hand" in a similar tune to Mars' hit. 

According to Billboard, some fans have speculated that Hemsworth dedicated Mars' song to Cyrus during their first engagement — though those theories are unconfirmed.

The song's opening verse could refer to the 2018 Woolsey Fire.
miley cyrus liam hemsworth

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

"We were good, we were gold/ Kind of dream that can't be sold/ We were right till we weren't/ Built a home and watched it burn," Cyrus sings in the opening verse. 

According to Us Weekly, the fire metaphor could be referring to the home Cyrus shared with Hemsworth, which burned down during the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

It’s been a heartbreaking few days. This is what’s left of my house. Love. Many people in Malibu and surrounding areas in California have lost their homes also and my heart goes out to everyone who was affected by these fires. To help: https://t.co/YQCE1cLaej & @happyhippiefdn https://t.co/vtLFytFmNw

— Liam Hemsworth (@LiamHemsworth) November 13, 2018

Cyrus has said that the loss of the couple's Malibu home is partially what led her and Hemsworth to get married. 

Some fans have drawn comparisons between a clip from the song's music video and a past red-carpet moment.
liam hemsworth miley cyrus

Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

In 2019, while attending the Vanity Fair Oscars party, an Access Hollywood reporter asked Cyrus and Hemsworth what a dance number would look like between the couple.

WAIT A MINUTE https://t.co/YA76DVsz7T

— out of context hannah montana (@OCHannahMontana) January 4, 2023

When Cyrus began dancing on Hemsworth, her then-husband, he shut it down, saying, "We're not doing this. Not on the carpet."

One Twitter user put that video side by side with a promotional clip Cyrus posted on the platform, in which she appears to do a similar dance move — while the lyrics "I can love me better" play in the background.

In October 2026, Cyrus changed the lyrics to "Flowers" and performed it at the Hollywood Bowl.
A woman performs at a concert.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 16: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Miley Cyrus performs onstage at Bass Persuades Live at Hollywood Bowl on October 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation

After selling out shows at the Hollywood Bowl in October 2026, Cyrus changed the pre-chorus lyrics to "Flowers."

In the original version, Cyrus sings: "I didn't wanna leave you/I didn't wanna fight/Started to cry, but then remembered I," before belting out the chorus.

This past weekend, however, Cyrus changed that to: "I didn't wanna leave you (but I had to)/I didn't wanna fight (but we did)/Started to cry, but then remembered I sold out the Hollywood Bowl."

Cyrus has ad-libbed her hit single before: At the 2024 Grammys, she sang, "Started to cry, but then remembered I just won my first Grammy!"

Fans took to social media to applaud Cyrus' lyric change, with one YouTube commenter saying they "love how she's filling it in with different achievements."

Cyrus also paid tribute to Dolly Parton, her late godmother, during the concert, breaking down in tears as she recalled memories of Parton. Cyrus then performed Parton's hit song "Jolene."

Editor's Note: This story was originally published in January 2023 and was most recently updated in October 2026.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The Cuban Bolero Loses a Shining Star: Manolo del Valle

13 October 2026 at 20:32

Cuban singer and composer Manolo del Valle—whose real name was Manuel Batista Salgado—passed away this Sunday at the age of 84. The news was announced by the Cuban Music Institute (ICM) and the Orquesta Original de Manzanillo, a group with which the artist maintained a long professional relationship. The news prompted expressions of sorrow within the music community and among fans of the Cuban bolero, both in Cuba and abroad.

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Del Valle was one of the island’s most recognized voices in romantic song. His career, spanning more than six decades, was closely tied to the bolero genre; he delivered performances that resonated with several generations of listeners, including songs such as “Es mejor vivir así” and “Celos del viento y el mar.”

His early artistic steps were linked to local groups such as the trios Ideal and Los Bohemios. In 1964, he joined the Orquesta Original de Manzanillo, an ensemble with which he remained associated for 14 years and with which he recorded songs he had composed himself.

Portada del Disco: La Vida es un Sueño.

The group highlighted the singer’s contribution to a sound that blended son and popular dance music with romantic song. Following that period, Del Valle settled in Havana to pursue a solo career.

Manolo del Valle’s repertoire included bolero classics as well as compositions that became synonymous with his name, such as “No renunciaré a tu amor,” “Celos del viento y el mar,” “Ni tu cama ni tu almohada,” “Será la última carta,” “Solo mía y basta,” and “Este es mi último adiós.”

His discography includes productions such as Es mejor vivir así (1981), alongside numerous performances at bolero festivals held in Cuba and other countries. Throughout his career, he received various cultural honors and maintained a close bond with audiences both on and off the island.

News of his passing prompted reactions from musicians, colleagues, and admirers. Singer Lourdes Libertad expressed her sorrow on social media and recalled years of friendship and professional collaboration with Del Valle, whom she described as one of the great exponents of the bolero.

With his passing, Cuban music loses a performer whose legacy endures through his recordings and the bolero repertoire. His songs remain part of the musical memory of several generations, both in Cuba and among Cuban communities abroad.

#Cuba | The Recording and Music Publishing Company (Egrem) is celebrating the nominations for the Cubadisco 2026 Awards, which will be announced on May 16 during the awards ceremony of the Cuban Record Festival.https://t.co/iOAteQYMqn pic.twitter.com/s7rpZFOLBy

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) May 4, 2026
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