Miley Cyrus Sheds Tears in Reflective and Emotional ‘Used to Be Young’ Video

Miley Cyrus doesn’t feel so much “Younger Now” anymore.

On Friday, the superstar unveiled the emotional new music video for her latest single “Used to Be Young,” which finds her reflecting on her partying days while coming to terms with the fact that she’s not the same person she once was.

“This song is about honoring who we’ve been, loving who we are and celebrating who we will become,” said Cyrus, 30, of the tearjerking ballad in a press release. “I feel proud when reflecting on my past and optimistic when thinking about the future.”

Her statement continued, “I am grateful to my loyal fans who make my dreams a reality daily. I am sincerely thankful for the stability of your steadfast support. This song is for you.”

In the lyrics of “Used to Be Young,” Cyrus looks back on years of her life and career when she was spending time at parties, expressing that she doesn’t regret the experiences despite finding new meaning in life as she’s gotten older.

“I know I used to be crazy / Messed up, but God was it fun / I know I used to be wild / That’s ’cause I used to be young,” she sings on the track. “Those wasted nights are not wasted / I remember every one / I know I used to be crazy / That’s ’cause I used to be young.”

The song’s stripped-back and simple visual features Cyrus walking down a dark pathway — reminiscent of her “The Climb” music video — before stopping directly in front of the camera, wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt as a nod to her days on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana.

While crooning the emotional lyrics of “Used to Be Young,” the singer-songwriter sheds tears for most of the clip before grinning ear-to-ear towards the end, seemingly accepting her past and reminiscing fondly.

“It’s super emotional because I am kind of a mini-me of my mom [Tish] and I could see her inside of the camera by using a technology where I could livestream with my mom from inside of the camera,” said Cyrus in a statement about the music video.

“So, we could see each other and as she was dancing it just made me cry, it made me laugh, it brought up so many real emotions and I think it’s really letting people into true emotion, which I don’t feel we get to see very much these days,” she added.

“Used to Be Young” marks Cyrus’ first new single since the March release of her Endless Summer Vacation album, which spawned the chart-topping single “Flowers.”

The new track’s release coincides with a revamped version of her Disney+ special that dropped earlier this year, titled Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions). After airing on ABC Thursday night, the program is now available to stream on Hulu.