Miley Cyrus harks back to the rock ‘n roll era in her latest single ‘Prisoner,’ featuring pop sensation Dua Lipa. Miley’s raspy, soaring vocals have been begging for a glam-rock piece for a while now, whereas Dua Lipa’s disco-pop dynamism is just the perfect little piece for this rambunctious, mischievous cocktail. The two ladies are bursting with angst and recklessness, romping through the desert in their big, rowdy bus, complete with a cherry juice splatter display, seductive dance moves, and wayward energy that hasn’t been seen since the likes of Joan Jett and Metallica. 

The composition is the perfect vehicle for Miley’s stupendously feisty spirit; she shines and screams through the high notes, filling each and every word with heartache and rage. Dua Lipa is mostly the supporting act on this ride but it can’t be denied how her distinctive coarse voice brings out an animalistic dimension to the song. The lyrics describe how toxic relationships have women feeling like they’ve been made “prisoner” to their own emotions and actions. That, no matter how hard they try, they’re stuck in a horrific cycle of toxicity and pain. In keeping with the 80s musical stylings, the production is packed with spicy electric guitar chords and synth backing tracks that will simply immerse you into Miley and Dua’s trouble-making caper. The bassline is yet another reflection of the bygone era — it complements Miley’s expressive verse, where the singer gets a chance to truly show off her chops. 

Miley has always maintained a knack for taking classic melodies, often in the rock or country genre and flipping them on their head with her contemporary twist. That’s another reason why her much-anticipated seventh studio album Plastic Hearts has been grabbing all the headlines lately: she’s got so much in her repertoire that is still waiting to be discovered. 

In terms of Dua, the singer just continues crushing the year with her infallible performances, her killer vocals, and a willingness to dabble in a little of everything. Does anyone among the top artists hold the title of ‘Queen of Disco’ as intuitive as Dua Lipa?

Speaking on working together with Dua, Miley said, “ There's a true partnership. Then I also liked that it wasn't the first song we'd cut together. We actually cut other songs. She wanted to keep going until it was right, until we found the one that honors our individuality. [...] We just waited until we felt like, 'Now this is Dua-Miley song. You can just, everything about it reflects us.' 

Author: Shaoni Das

Shaoni Das is a writer/editor currently based in Edmonton, Canada. She remains eager to inspect how the changing culture of music impacts upon the greater world.