Miley Cyrus’s New Single ‘River’ Was Inspired by Gay Dance Party

Author: Dylan Reber

Miley Cyrus’ latest LP, Endless Summer Vacation, dropped today alongside a sultry (and very gay) music video for the single “River.”

According to Spotify’s ‘Storyline’ feature – a tool that offers users an exclusive peek into an artist’s creative process and the stories behind their songs – Cyrus said “River” was inspired by a dance party where the guests were allowed entry only if they brought along their gay best friend.

“This was a time in my life where I was going through a lot emotionally and personally. And then I had a dance party with my friends,” she said. “The rule was that every girl had to bring their gay best friend, or no entrance.”

Cyrus added they were dancing to pop legends like Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, and Britney Spears.

“The song evolved from a trouble where it felt like it never stopped raining, to then raining down love.”

The water-soaked, black-and-white music video for “River” features Cyrus in a stunning black dress and a host of shirtless men dancing around her.

2023 has been quite a year for Cyrus. The build-up to her eighth album began in January with the release of the wildly successful lead single “Flowers.” The funky, Bruno Mars-inspired track topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks and broke the Spotify streaming record for the most plays received in a week (it then broke its own record the following week).

Today, “Flowers” is one of 13 songs included on the physical and digital releases of Cyrus’s Endless Summer Vacation. The artist has called the album – which follows the 2020 LP Plastic Hearts – her love letter to Los Angeles.

Endless Summer Vacation is divided into two parts, AM and PM, Cyrus shared in a video on social media.

“The AM to me is representing the morning time, where there’s a buzz and energy and there’s a potential of new possibilities. It’s a new day,” the star said. “At nighttime,” she added, “it feels like there’s a slinky seediness and kind of a grime but a glamour at the same time.”

The pansexual musician has a long history of supporting LGBTQ+ rights.