ROOTED IN GROWTH
Los Angeles, September 2025
Since the release of her debut album, The Hardest Part, three years ago, NOAH CYRUS has been on a transformative journey. But despite all the changes that come with navigating the early stages of adulthood, the 25-year-old singer, songwriter and producer has constantly remained true to herself and her love for music. Unafraid of speaking loudly about her own vulnerability, the youngest sibling of the globally known Cyrus family uses writing to transform life experiences into genuine art. She masters it on I Want My Loved Ones to Go with Me, a pivotal sophomore record released this past July. A nature-inspired tribute to her family and roots, the record blends Americana, indie folk and country, paying homage to the past whilst celebrating a bright future ahead. Wholeheartedly from her backyard, the musician talks about style, keeping her inner child alive, and why authenticity matters.
Left Jacket Emma Gonzalez Pini
Right Dress Jason Wu
Hey, Noah! Where are you speaking from today?
I'm in LA at my house, just in the backyard, watching my dog run around. I spoke with a psychic recently who told me to keep an eye out for butterflies, and I've seen more butterflies in the past few days than I've seen all summer. They're all in my backyard, and there was this specific kind and everything, and I've been seeing them. So, I've just been so drawn to my backyard and keeping my eyes out for butterflies. [Laughs]
Sounds like a perfect day!
Yeah, every time a butterfly flies by, my fiancé is like, “Butterfly!” It’s so cute.
Well, butterflies are a good sign, right? They represent transformation.
They represent beautiful things, beautiful spirits and souls. There are so many beautiful things about them.
Full look Emma Gonzalez Pini
I’ve listened to I Want My Loved Ones to Go with Me and it’s so beautiful. I know it’s a very personal project, and that you reconnected to your family and roots to create it. Could you talk us through your main influences for it?
Thank you so much! My main inspirations were nature, the mountains, and how nature really reflects us in humanity, the way that it can bring us closer to ourselves and the answers that we're looking for. Nature has been a big part of my life since I was a little girl. I grew up on a farm, so animals, trees, the mountains, the hills, and everything about it is just so nostalgic. I find a lot of peace, comfort, and answers in nature. Also, a big portion of it speaks of these characters that are inspired by different people in my life. A lot of it was inspired by family, people and instances close to me, and just spoke on generational love of music passed down, and how that love connects us back to each other – that has been the one constant. Music has been in my family for many generations, especially in the Cyrus family; every generation definitely had a musician.
What is your favourite song from the album?
It changes a lot. But I would say that Apple Tree is probably my favourite, just from the weight and the tie back to the generations of the Cyrus family. It's a hymn written by my great-grandfather, recited by my grandfather, sung by me on an album my brother has written a song for, and I sing a song of my dad. It's been very connected back to that side of the family, so Apple Tree is up there as a favourite for sure. I would probably name all of the other ones if I had to pick, it would be hard.
Top and pants Vetesse, shoes Maison Margiela
I read an interview where you said that the album was also a way for you to reconnect with your inner child. What else do you do to try and make your inner child happy?
I'm always watching shows, playing games, or doing things that were just comforting to me in childhood. I rewatch a lot of the same movies and TV shows, and right now, I'm even watching Pretty Little Liars. I watched that every single day, coming home from middle school into high school, when I started being homeschooled, and I was just obsessed with that show, whenever it was actually airing on TV. To my fiancé, I was like, “Have you ever seen Pretty Little Liars? Because you have to. I'm going to make you watch it so you can be connected to younger me.” [Laughs] It was such a substantial part of my adolescence and growing up in my generation. I just do things to keep me connected to that, because that feels good and nostalgic to me. [I listen to] songs that I loved when I was younger, and a lot of those things I still love now. I was an old soul, so even when I was like 10, my favourite movie was Titanic. [Laughs]
It’s a pretty good movie, I’ll give you that. [Laughs]
Yeah, so I'm not sitting around, you know, watching Barney. I'm watching American Horror Story, which I started when I was 12 years old. [Laughs]
Jacket Emma Gonzalez Pini, dress Vetesse, shoes Gianvito Rossi
In another recent interview, your sister Miley mentioned that you've always been very consistent in the way you make music. Where do you think that consistency comes from, and why is it important to you to keep that going?
It's an understanding of myself, the integrity that I wish to have and that I do have as an artist. It’s always been there. My lyrics have always had a lot of depth and personal meaning, and that honesty has always shown through. What's been the most consistent thing about me is that I've just been honest with the music that I love and want to make and the things that I want to say at the time. That shows through in the music, and it gives a certain authenticity that feels familiar as I grow and as I continue to write new songs. Because if you look at the timeline, the production of the music has changed, but the integrity of the lyrics kind of stayed the same; it’s just been through different ages of perspective, which I think is really beautiful. It’s crazy because I've been doing this for 10 years, and it's crazier that I started when I was 15/16 years old, which is when I began the discussion of signing with a record label. Some people, I think, as in myself as well, forget that I'm only 25 years old, and there's still so much ahead of me, so much to do and create within the next 10 more years, and the next 10 years after that. I think the consistency has always been there with the depth of the music and a great understanding of knowing what I wanted at that time.
You said that this was the first time you got to work as a producer. Is that something that you intend to continue doing in the future?
Of course, I would love that! This was my first time, and I learned so much already. I learned from the best, and Mike [Crossey, co-producer of the album along with PJ Harding] has been such a great mentor through it; he has taught me so much. I'm just excited for the future, to learn more about how I can grow for the next record. Or who knows if it's the next record? I don't know, picking up more skills is so important, I only just did this on this one album, and I have a lot of growth to do in that. But I really want to do it, because I find more joy making the music and hearing the result than I get out of any other part of the process. Finding the chords, the melody, the dynamics, all the components that go into a song and hearing that at the end is so satisfying and so rewarding. You feel closer to yourself, to the music, and to the reason why you do it. It's a constant reminder of why I love music, whenever I hear a part in a song that I just fall in love with. It's a very romantic relationship, the one I have with music.
Full look McQueen
You were also never afraid to speak up about your mental health issues. Why do you think it's important to address that, and to be open about your own experience and vulnerability?
Honestly, just because that was what I had been dealing with. They have been very close friends of mine, these anxieties, my mental health, the challenges that I’ve had with it and the successes and wins that I’ve also had. But because my music was so honest, I wanted to talk about what I was writing about. I felt that there was a disconnect from me; that people didn’t know me, or that what they thought was me was incorrect. I just wanted to come with pure honesty, so that anyone hears it from my own voice, of what I'm going through and who I am. Being honest is the way to go.
I think that connects you to your fans much more.
Completely, because people are going through the same anxieties, life lessons, growing pains, heartbreaks and losses. So, it's comforting when you find a voice that speaks to that, and it's a beautiful thing that music can be this comfort to people.
Let's talk about fashion, as you also have a very distinctive style. Have you always been drawn to a more dark and glamorous aesthetic?
Honestly, yes. That's been very me forever. I've always been drawn to the more dark, dramatic, more fantasy aesthetic.
What are some of your favourite wardrobe pieces right now? What are you enjoying wearing the most?
I really love lace, different textures, fabrics, and layers. I think textures are the main thing, but things that feel natural, that feel like they were made from materials that aren’t made in a factory. Something that just feels like you found it, that feels timeless. And that’s what I love about Yohji Yamamoto and Ann Demeulemeester. I don't really use the word ‘goth,’ but they have that darker fantasy, gothic inspiration to them, and create really beautiful silhouettes.
Left Dress Jason Wu, boots Thom Solo
Right Top and pants Emma Gonzalez Pini, boots Isabel Marant
Would you say that having a fashion designer as a partner [Cyrus is engaged to the German fashion designer Pinkus] influences the way you dress?
Yeah, and I think it improved it a lot more, too. [Laughs] I swear, my mom is the same way now. She won't buy shoes or anything else without calling my fiancé first, and if he doesn't like it, she'll be so upset. And I'm like, “You know what, mom, I had to overcome that. If Pinkus doesn't like an outfit of mine, that's okay, that outfit can still be cool because I like it.” So, yes, it has inspired [the way I dress], and I think it helped me understand and find myself in fashion with a bit of a helping hand. Whatever my incredibly stylish – I'm talking like that because he's right here – fiancé’s opinion is, it's okay. If I like the outfit, that's what matters. I had to teach my mom the same lesson, which is really funny, you know, the girls want his stamp of approval when we buy something.
You basically have a personal stylist at this point.
Totally. I just had an important dinner over the week, and I was just like, “Can you help me pick an outfit?” It's so nice that I don't have to FaceTime one of my friends and get their opinion; there’s somebody in the house who can do that. Also, I think that usually straight men are not known to have the strongest sense of style, and he's killed it. I mean, you don't ask my brother or my dad for fashion advice. [Laughs] Now, my best friend, Johnny, my hairstylist, on the other hand, has a great sense of fashion!
You are getting ready to go on tour very soon. What are you most excited about when it comes to that period?
Spending time with my on-the-road family, and singing these songs with the fans. I was so blown away when I did the album release show in London [in July]. They all knew the words to every single song, and the album was only out for maybe a few weeks. London was the last album release show, so they had the most time with the songs to get to know them, and when they were singing, it was so beautiful. I'm excited to hear what the rooms are going to sound like, now that there's been some time for them to know the songs. I feel that these songs are much closer to the spirit of the universe, the heart of it all and where we all come from, and that we all should be brought together because we only have each other in this world. We should celebrate and love each other. That's all that I was taught as a child, and I want that to be the entire being of the community that comes to my concerts. It's really beautiful to experience that in a room and after the tour.
Do you see yourself experimenting with more genres in the future? What would you like to do sonically that you haven't been able to do yet?
I think that's where I'm at right now. [Before] I wasn't able to explore this part of me that I've known was here for so long. So, I think that going further and experimenting into the direction I've been headed, which is this country, Americana, kind of folk space, finding my place in those genres, seeing what kind of music I can make, and working with really amazing artists I am working with. My best friend, Orville Peck, is on the deluxe version of I Want My Loved Ones to Go With Me, and I have another really talented artist featured in the album that I haven't announced yet, but that I'm very excited about. I have just worked on another feature for another artist’s deluxe record that's supposed to come out soon, and they're all in that space. Just, you know, getting more familiar with the people in that genre and being able to work with people like [Blake] Shelton and artists that inspire me.
Interview by Ketlyn Araujo
Photography by Kolby Knight
Fashion by Max Weinstein
Hair by John Novotny at Opus Beauty
Make-Up by Stoj at The Wall Group
Nails by Nori at See Mgmt
Set Design by Elaine Winter at See Mgmt
DOP Bob Hoste at Walter Schupfer
Photographer’s assistant Beka Maglakelidze
Stylist’s assistant Ambrosio Gonzales