“Sing What Makes Your Soul Happy”: How Bruno Mars Inspired Miley Cyrus’s Return to Pop Glory

When Miley Cyrus roared back onto the pop charts with her 2023 megahit “Flowers,” fans around the world celebrated it as a defining moment of reinvention. The song—equal parts heartbreak and empowerment—signaled a full-circle return to the confident, radiant pop sound that first made Cyrus a global name. But behind her artistic reset was an unexpected spark of inspiration: Bruno Mars.

Though the often-cited 10-word mantra, “Sing what makes your soul happy,” is not a documented quote from Mars, it captures the essence of how his music—and one song in particular—helped Cyrus rediscover her creative center after years of stylistic experimentation.

🎶 A Lyrical Conversation Across a Decade

The connection between Cyrus’s “Flowers” and Mars’s “When I Was Your Man” (2012) is less about imitation and more about dialogue—a clever and emotional response through melody and meaning.

Mars’s original song is a soulful ballad of regret, with lyrics that ache over love lost and opportunities missed:

“I should have bought you flowers… and held your hand.”

Cyrus, more than a decade later, turned that narrative inside out. In “Flowers,” she reclaims the same imagery, transforming sorrow into self-sufficiency:

“I can buy myself flowers… and I can hold my own hand.”

Where Mars’s track mourned a relationship gone wrong, Cyrus’s version celebrated independence and emotional healing. The lyrical parallels were so striking that fans quickly dubbed “Flowers” the “answer song” to “When I Was Your Man.”

💐 From Heartbreak to Healing: The Power of “Flowers”

“Flowers” became an instant global anthem, topping charts in more than 35 countries and spending weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its success was both commercial and emotional—proof that pop music, when infused with honesty, still resonates deeply.

The track anchored Cyrus’s album Endless Summer Vacation, blending sleek pop with disco, funk, and a hint of California rock. It marked a sharp contrast to her previous projects: the country-infused Younger Now (2017) and the gritty rock of Plastic Hearts (2020).

The return to mainstream pop wasn’t just a musical decision—it was personal. Released on her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth’s birthday, the song’s timing fueled speculation that it was a symbolic act of closure. Some fans noted that Hemsworth had once dedicated “When I Was Your Man” to Cyrus, making “Flowers” both a clever callback and a declaration of autonomy.

🌟 A Return to Authentic Joy

While the idea that Mars told Cyrus to “sing what makes your soul happy” may be more myth than quote, it perfectly encapsulates the spirit of both artists’ approaches to music. Mars has long been known for crafting songs that bridge joy and sincerity, while Cyrus—after years of shifting between genres and personas—seems to have found her truest voice by doing exactly that.

In interviews, Cyrus has described “Flowers” as a reflection of growth and gratitude. “I can love me better than you can,” she sings—a statement not of arrogance, but of self-discovery.

💫 The Full-Circle Moment

The unspoken “conversation” between Mars and Cyrus represents more than just a musical crossover. It’s a testament to how pop evolves—how one artist’s expression of vulnerability can inspire another to find strength.

Bruno Mars’s regret became Miley Cyrus’s redemption. And through “Flowers,” Cyrus reminded listeners everywhere that the greatest power lies in being your own source of joy.

In essence, she did what Mars’s imagined advice suggested all along:
She sang what made her soul happy—and the world sang along.