Miley Cyrus is back and better than ever. After a series of career highs, from her first Grammy wins to a chart-smashing hit, Cyrus took some time away from the spotlight to work on her ninth studio album, Something Beautiful —which is out today. Now that it’s finally here, it proves to be her most daring, most cohesive collection of work yet.

Miley Cyrus’s entire life has been shaped by fame. Born at the height of her father Billy Ray Cyrus’s celebrity, she spent her childhood at his sold-out country concerts. At 13, she became a star herself — and an important part of the Disney machine — as the titular lead in “Hannah Montana,