ALBUM REVIEW: Noah Cyrus releases her stunning debut album 'The Hardest Part'.

Words: Paul Mitchell

One of the cons, and possibly one of the pros, of being a “child star” is that growing up and maturing quickly is more or less forced upon you, likely with no time to catch your breath. Noah Cyrus is a case in point. She has been an entertainer for twenty years and most people with any knowledge of pop culture will be familiar with her. The staggering thing is she is only twenty-two.

Today she releases her debut album The Hardest Part, an astonishingly accomplished work of art with a deep maturity to the lyrics and the music. A mix of pop, country, soul and folk, it glistens with lush production shot through with ample doses of melancholy. Two decades into her career, The Hardest Part feels like Cyrus has emerged as a fully formed artist – and one of the greatest “new” talents in music.

The Hardest Part arrived after a long period of personal struggle for Cyrus. It began with the online trolling and bullying she has faced from a young age, moved into a period of depression and anxiety, and then became a crippling addiction to the anxiety medication Xanax, a drug that can be deadly when misused. After treatment and therapy, she recovered and six months later poured all the pain into her new album.

The heartbreaking opening lines of The Hardest Part, in first track ‘Noah (Stand Still)’, give an indication of exactly what she was dealing with: “When I turned twenty, I was overcome / With the thought that I might not turn twenty-one,” she sings. Sonically, the track sets out the script for the album, in its poignant country-pop that borrows from all over the genres (a bit of rock, a hint of electronica, a flirtation with bluegrass) to form a cohesive whole.

‘Hardest Part’ is a fuzzy-guitar track with a stop-start rhythm that takes a dejected look at growing older and its unsettling changes, possibly referring to the separation of Cyrus’s parents: “The hardest part of going home / Is facing that you’re getting older / And everything you’ve ever known is over.”

Album highlight ‘I Just Want a Lover’ is probably the most pop-sounding track of all, with a dance beat, distorted keyboards and electronic vocal effects. It is a standout not only for its vocal line and Cyrus’s delivery but the sonic surprises that pop up throughout the song. Gorgeous strings appear from nowhere, the vocals turn from warm and organic to computer altered, the dramatic build suddenly gives way to the fade, and it all keeps you hooked to the very end. Lyrically it looks at both a society falling apart – “the United Hate of America … / Trapped inside this permanent staycation” – and Cyrus’s frustration with relationships: “I just want a lover who’s in love with me.”

‘Unfinished’ is a soaring country-pop track that wonders what could have been after a relationship ends too soon, while ‘My Side of the Bed’ is a pared-down piano ballad which ends with the despairing question, “Are you leaving me?”

The album closes with the track ‘Loretta’s Song’, a tribute to Cyrus’s grandmother who died while Cyrus was struggling with her drug addiction. It closes the album on a gentle, heartfelt moment; Cyrus’s emotive vocal is accompanied by little more than an acoustic guitar before an assortment of instruments are subtly introduced. The song is from Loretta’s viewpoint, and Cyrus sings, “When I’m gone, don’t cry for me … / Hold on, darling, I will see you again.” It is a poignant closer that almost brings Cyrus’s story full circle, from the fear of losing it all in the opening track through to finding the hope and strength to face the future in ‘Loretta’s Song’.

There’s no doubt that Cyrus has reached a creative career high with The Hardest Part. These are songs to fully immerse yourself in, and you’ll want to understand every single word. While the album may have its foundation in darkness, Cyrus has emerged from those bleak days to burn brighter than ever.

The Hardest Part is out now. You can download on iTunes and stream on Spotify and Apple Music.

To keep up with all things Noah Cyrus you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.