At times, we might doubt our worthiness of love, which can cause us to withdraw from those who genuinely care. The song “Angels Like You” by Miley Cyrus is a powerful song fueled by the frustration of being trapped within competing truths of self-destruction and desire for affection.
The song, released in 2021, was part of Cyrus’ journey into a rock inspired sound, a deviation from her upbeat pop roots. The song is told from the perspective of someone who recognizes their self-destructive patterns but feels doomed to repeat them. At the same time, they try to hide these behaviours from others—even those who could be harmed by them. The song is heart wrenching and powerful as it takes you through the journey of someone who struggles with receiving and reciprocating love. Illustrating how this issue slowly damages relationships, eventually resulting in the collapse of love.
It’s not your fault I ruin everything / And it’s not your fault I can’t be what you need
Angels like you can’t fly down here with me / I’m everything they said I would be
The theme of feeling as though you are doomed to repeat your previous patterns within a relationship is a perfect example of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Cyrus believes that the negative stories people perpetuate about her are true. She doesn’t bother to change her behavior because she feels it is hopeless. At the very end of the first verse, it is acknowledged that all is not as it seems. Although she is experiencing the “honeymoon” phase of a relationship, there is still a looming feeling of dread, as if she is already aware that the relationship is doomed due to her own shortcomings. There’s a sense of helplessness felt as she immediately accepts that the pair are wrong for each other, yet she is not willing to end the relationship as she still craves connection.
This song speaks to anyone who feels trapped in an unending loop of their own patterns.
You can listen to Angels Like You by Miley Cyrus here
Image Credit: Photo by Emma Fabbri on Unsplash
