They were fed up with their ex and in 2023, Miley Cyrus, Shakira and even SZA made this clear to us. We summarize the extent of the “revenge song” phenomenon.
1. Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”
Nothing better to start the year than a good dose of revenge to move forward. Miley Cyrus set the tone on December 31, 2022, by announcing on the set of NBC live “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party” the release of a new single. This is how on January 13, 2023, the whole world discovered “Flowers”.
The 31-year-old singer has managed to turn her grief into a true work of art and an international hit. Unveiled on the birthday of her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, the title seems to openly target the actor. And fans were therefore quick to come up with the craziest theories. The title samples “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars, a song particularly appreciated by the actor and that’s not all.
The clip, which now has more than 660 million views, is full of references to their love story. Miley proudly parades through the streets of Los Angeles wearing a dress by Yves Saint Laurent, which bears a striking resemblance to the dress worn by Jennifer Lawrence who shared the “Hunger Games” poster with a certain Liam Hemsworth in 2012. At that time , rumors circulated about a romance between the two actors, while Liam had been seeing Miley since 2009. All these barbs thrown at the actor seemed to hit the mark with the public since “Flowers” remained number 1 on the Billboard rankings for 25 weeks.
2. Shakira – “BZRP Music Sessions #53”
The artist who was also noticed for her taste for revenge songs this year is Shakira. The beautiful 46-year-old Colombian was keen to make her ex-partner, footballer Gérard Piqué, understand that he had lost a gem. On January 11, 2023, she released “BZRP Music Sessions #53” with DJ Bizarrap. She openly declares war on her ex. We learn in particular of the Spanish player’s infidelity (an affair that the singer discovered thanks to the jars of strawberry jam that she found empty even though Gérard Piqué hated it). So she sings: “ You left me with my mother-in-law as a neighbor, with the press at the door and debts to the taxman (…). You exchanged a Ferrari for a Twingo, a Rolex for a Casio. », a direct attack on Clara Chia Marti, 23 years old, the athlete’s new companion.
Subsequently, Shakira did not stop there and signed a collaboration with another icon of Colombian music: Karol G. The two singers attack their exes on the songs “TQG (Te Quiero Big) “. In this first collaboration, the stars promise not to repeat the same mistakes as during their previous romantic relationship, recalling that they have become aware of their value: “ You left, and I got triple ‘m’: much hotter, much tougher, much lighter » (trans. “You left and I got the triple ‘p’: sexier, stronger, lighter”).
3. SZA – “Kill Bill”
This year, even SZA broke her silence to attack her ex (whose identity is a mystery). The 34-year-old singer, who had not released anything since “CTRL” in 2017, shook up the charts with “Kill Bill” which established itself as the anthem of the revenge song in 2023. Became trending on Tiktok from its release the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 18 weeks. The clip currently has over 90 million views. Like Quentin Tarantino’s heroine, we see SZA taking violent revenge on her ex.
Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift: their songs about their ex
In the same way Lana Del Rey placed her year under the sign of revenge by releasing a new album “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” and decided to have the billboard for it installed in Tulsa, her ex’s hometown.
Taylor Swift, although she has already found love again, released “You’re Losing Me” which would evoke her relationship with the actor Joe Alwyn with whom she had been in a relationship since 2016. Despite everything, the singer has claimed to have written it months before their breakup. A beautiful ride which according to fans puts an end to the “Midnights” era and opens the way to a new album. Who knows ?