A bold, sensory film that transcends the format and reveals the full spectrum of her creative identity
When Miley Cyrus conceived Something Beautiful, she wasn’t just thinking in visuals—she was world-building. The companion film to her ninth studio album isn’t your typical visual album. It’s an immersive, genre-defying journey through her emotional and artistic universe, where each track transforms into its own distinct cinematic chapter.
The project landed at XYZ Films—the indie studio known for cult hits like Mandy—after Miley’s team at Crush Music pitched the idea. It wasn’t hard to see this was something different.
“She didn’t want it to feel like a music video,” says XYZ’s Nate Bolotin.
“She wanted a standalone film—something that could exist entirely on its own.”
A singular vision, shaped by her own hand
From the start, Cyrus came armed with a fully formed visual concept: mood boards, storyboards, and a defined color language. She co-directed the project alongside Panos Cosmatos (Mandy) and longtime collaborators Jacob Bixenman and Brendan Walter, ensuring her fingerprints were on every frame.
Each song is rendered with its own visual DNA, pulling aesthetic inspiration from the '80s through the early 2000s. To capture that eclectic texture, the team shot across multiple film formats—35mm, 16mm, and Super 8—giving each track its own unique cinematic feel.
From pop star to auteur
According to Nick Spicer of XYZ, Cyrus was deeply involved in every creative decision.
“She knew exactly the palette she wanted. She’d already mapped things out with the production designer and cinematographer Benoît Debie. Lighting was a massive focus—we invested heavily there because it was central to her vision.”
The result isn’t a straightforward narrative. The film flows through chapter titles and internal transitions, not a script.
“We weren’t trying to tell a story in the traditional sense,” explains producer Aram Tertzakian.
“The concept was to build a visual journey—each song standing alone like its own short film.”
A new chapter for Cyrus—and for music films
Something Beautiful will premiere June 6 at the Tribeca Film Festival, followed by a one-night-only theatrical release across North America on June 12, and international screenings on June 27.
For XYZ Films, it’s a sign of things to come.
“We’re not looking to repeat this formula exactly,” says the team.
“But we’re definitely excited to work with artists who want to push beyond sound and into cinema. This was just the beginning.”
