Miley Cyrus: ‘Passion and desire are what I am made of’

There are a few things that cause Miley Cyrus to experience unforgettable bliss. “A first kiss, there’s nothing better,” she says. “I love falling in love.”

The new Gucci fragrance, Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Eau de Parfum Intense is all about celebrating these moments of pleasure. Part of the Flora franchise which Cyrus has been the face of since 2021, Gorgeous Gardenia Intense enhances the sensuality of gardenia to create a scent that is creamy, rich and blissfully alluring. “Passion and desire are what I am made of,” says Cyrus. “I love that [the fragrance] enhances that.”

For the campaign, which is dreamily set against the Los Angeles skyline at sunset, Cyrus and photographer Tyler Mitchell hiked up to the Hollywood sign where the singer frolicked around the flower-filled landscape. It was a comfortable – and familiar – setting for Cyrus, who has spent most of her life in Los Angeles and was recently honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “LA has been my home for most of my lifetime. It truly is a magical place that’s built on dreams and fantasy,” she tells Dazed. “To have a star set on the walk of fame is a dream come true, and I will definitely be visiting her often.”

We caught up with Cyrus to find out more about the new Gucci campaign and her latest album, Something Beautiful.

What does Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Intense smell like to you? How would you describe it?

Miley Cyrus: I was drawn to the fragrance, because although it is soft and subtle, it still has an intensity I resonate with.

You’ve been the face of Flora for five consecutive years now. Do you associate your different creative eras with certain scents?

Miley Cyrus: I love incorporating Flora into my ever-changing eras because as I change it evolves with me.

The new album is a ‘visual album’ – did the creative process for it differ to how you worked on previous projects?

Miley Cyrus: I have always really seen music. I believe it’s deeper than hearing, it’s a true listening which isn’t done with the ears or the mind but from the heart.

Is scent a part of your creative process? Do you like to create an ‘olfactory experience’ when you are writing and recording music?

Miley Cyrus: Absolutely, before I walk in the room the collaborators say they know I am there because I am always using different scents to create a vibe.

For the new album, you were inspired by concept records like The Wall by Pink Floyd – what was the concept that you wanted to explore with your music and how did it take inspiration from previous generations of musicians?

Miley Cyrus: I believe we are all concoctions or cocktails of anything that’s ever inspired us. Memories are in our DNA and develop into original creations.

You have called the new album your ‘gayest yet’ – was that an intention going into the project and how does that manifest in the music?

Miley Cyrus: My music’s mission is to always be authentic while staying set deep into fantasy by creating a persona that excites me, it’s like an alter ego or a drag queen.

If Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Intense was a song on your new album, what would it be and why?

Miley Cyrus: ‘Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved’. That song is about being a little bit of everything and still being completely found and not lost.

In Naomi Campbell’s feature on ‘Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved’, she sings: ‘She has the perfect scent.’ What, for you, is the perfect scent?

Miley Cyrus: Gucci’s new Gorgeous Gardenia Intense of course, it’s glamorous yet earthy which is very my vibe.