
Miley Cyrus' song 'Flowers' is said to be a response to Bruno Mars' ''When I Was Your Man'. The song, which was released in January 2023, has been accused of copying Mars' 2012 hit. Interestingly, it has been claimed that Cyrus' ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, once dedicated 'When I Was Your Man' to her, and that the song is a direct reference to their relationship. It has also been alleged that the song was played at their wedding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist of the song played at the wedding | Bruno Mars |
| Song played at the wedding | "When I Was Your Man" |
| Couple at the wedding | Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth |
| Year of the wedding | 2018 |
| Artist of the song rumoured to be a response to the song played at the wedding | Miley Cyrus |
| Song rumoured to be a response to the song played at the wedding | "Flowers" |
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What You'll Learn
- Bruno's 'When I Was Your Man' was dedicated to Miley by Liam Hemsworth
- Miley's song 'Flowers' is a response to Bruno's 'When I Was Your Man'
- Miley's 'Flowers' lyrics are independent, bold, and pro-feminist
- Miley's ex-husband Liam is the 'inspiration' behind her track, 'Flowers'
- Miley's song 'Flowers' topped charts worldwide

Bruno's 'When I Was Your Man' was dedicated to Miley by Liam Hemsworth
It has been rumoured that Liam Hemsworth dedicated Bruno Mars' song "When I Was Your Man" to his then-partner, Miley Cyrus. The song is said to have been played at their wedding in 2018. The couple divorced in 2020.
Cyrus and Hemsworth's relationship has been a source of fascination for fans, with speculation that the song "When I Was Your Man" holds a special meaning for the couple. The lyrics of the song, which include the line "I should've bought you flowers and held your hand", are believed to reflect a personal message from Hemsworth to Cyrus.
In 2023, Cyrus released the song "Flowers", which sparked controversy as it was accused of being strikingly similar to Mars' "When I Was Your Man". The songs share similar lyrics and melodies, with Cyrus's version being described as a response or sequel to Mars' original. The chorus of "Flowers" includes the lines "I can buy myself flowers/Write my name in the sand", which seem to be a direct reply to the lyrics in "When I Was Your Man".
Cyrus has faced a lawsuit for copyright infringement, with claims that her song duplicates Mars' hit. Interestingly, Mars himself has not been involved in the lawsuit, and there is speculation that he approved of Cyrus's tribute. The lawsuit is being pursued by Tempo Music, a subsidiary of Private Equity Partners, who acquired a share of the rights to "When I Was Your Man" from one of its songwriters, Philip Lawrence.
While the legal battle continues, the situation highlights the complex nature of musical inspiration and the unspoken codes that musicians follow. It also raises questions about the role of private equity firms and investment companies in the music industry, as they increasingly buy up song catalogs.
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Miley's song 'Flowers' is a response to Bruno's 'When I Was Your Man'
Miley Cyrus' song 'Flowers' is said to be a response to Bruno Mars' 'When I Was Your Man'. The track, which topped charts globally, features a chorus that is strikingly similar, both musically and lyrically, to Mars' 2013 ballad.
Cyrus' ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, is rumoured to have dedicated 'When I Was Your Man' to her back in 2013, and often referenced it in their relationship. The song is said to be a direct reference to their relationship, with lyrics such as "built a home and watched it burn", potentially alluding to their Malibu home that burned down in 2018.
'Flowers' is described as a "reply", "takeoff", or "response" to Mars' song, with some noting that it is a "female, feminist response" to the "narcissistic, male, patriarchal" lyrics of 'When I Was Your Man'. Cyrus' song features lyrics such as:
> I can buy myself flowers
> Write my name in the sand
> Talk to myself for hours
> Say things you don't understand
> I can take myself dancing
> And I can hold my own hand
> Yeah, I can love me better than you can
These lyrics are a twist on the chorus of 'When I Was Your Man':
> I should have bought you flowers
> And held your hand
> Should have gave you all my hours
> When I had the chance
> Take you to every party 'cause all you wanted to do was dance
> Now my baby's dancing
> But she's dancing with another man
While 'Flowers' does not credit Mars or the other songwriters of 'When I Was Your Man', it is not uncommon for artists to create response songs as a form of tribute. However, in this case, Cyrus has been sued for copyright infringement, with Tempo Music Investments claiming that "Flowers" duplicates melodic, harmonic, and lyrical elements from "When I Was Your Man".
Despite the similarities, some listeners have argued that the songs are not similar, and that certain themes, such as buying flowers, dancing, or hand-holding, cannot be owned by any artist.
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Miley's 'Flowers' lyrics are independent, bold, and pro-feminist
Miley Cyrus's song 'Flowers' is an uptempo anthem to self-reliance and self-love. The song's chorus is strikingly similar to Bruno Mars's 'When I Was Your Man', with Miley's lyrics being a response to Bruno's. Miley's lyrics are independent, bold, and pro-feminist, with the song being about her past relationship with ex-husband Liam Hemsworth. The song is from the perspective of someone who didn't want their relationship to end but realizes they can still enjoy the best parts of life and be happy on their own.
The song's lyrics include:
> I can buy myself flowers/ Write my name in the sand/ Talk to myself for hours/ Say things you don't understand/ I can take myself dancing/ And I can hold my own hand/ Yeah, I can love me better than you can.
These lyrics are a powerful message of self-acceptance and independence, a far cry from the original chorus, which Miley revealed was:
> I can buy myself flowers, write my name in the sand, but I can't love me better than you can.
'Flowers' was written by Miley Cyrus, Gregory "Aldae" Hein, and Michael Pollack in January 2022 and was released as the lead single from her eighth studio album, 'Endless Summer Vacation'. The song received positive reviews from critics and was a massive commercial success, becoming the best-selling global single of 2023.
Miley Cyrus has been sued for copyright infringement over the song, with the claim that she copied Bruno Mars' 'When I Was Your Man'. However, sources close to the singer have said that she is not too concerned about the lawsuit itself but will find it unsettling if she is forced to confirm that the song was about her ex-husband.
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Miley's ex-husband Liam is the 'inspiration' behind her track, 'Flowers'
Miley Cyrus's song 'Flowers' is rumoured to be about her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth. The couple had an on-and-off relationship for many years, with their first engagement being called off before they married in 2018. They divorced in 2019.
The song, which broke several streaming records, is believed to have been released on Hemsworth's 33rd birthday. The lyrics also include the line "built a home and watched it burn", which may reference the couple's Malibu home, which was destroyed in the Woolsey Fire of 2018.
Cyrus has not confirmed that the song is about Hemsworth, but she has faced a lawsuit regarding the song, which has caused her anxiety as she may have to publicly reveal that her ex-husband is the inspiration behind it. Sources have claimed that Cyrus "didn’t exactly try to hide" that the song was "directed towards him".
The song's chorus is also strikingly similar to Bruno Mars' 2012/2013 hit 'When I Was Your Man', which was reportedly dedicated to Cyrus by Hemsworth and often referenced in their relationship. Fans have claimed that 'Flowers' is a response to the Bruno Mars tune, with Cyrus' lyrics being a "reaction to Bruno's lyrics".
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Miley's song 'Flowers' topped charts worldwide
Miley Cyrus's song 'Flowers' has topped charts worldwide. The track, from her eighth studio album 'Endless Summer Vacation', was released in January 2023 and became an instant hit. It earned 685,000 streams, 2.4 million radio impressions, and 2,000 digital downloads within its first five hours of availability.
'Flowers' is a pop song with disco, rock, and funk influences. Its lyrics are about an ex-lover's newfound independence and acceptance of not needing someone else to be complete. The song is said to be inspired by Cyrus's ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, and is rumoured to be a response to Bruno Mars' song 'When I Was Your Man', which Hemsworth had dedicated to Cyrus.
'Flowers' has achieved remarkable success, breaking several records. It became Cyrus's second number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and her 11th top-ten entry. The song also topped the year-end Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts in 2023 and was the best-selling global single of that year, with 2.7 billion subscription streams worldwide, according to the IFPI. It won the IFPI Global Single Award for 2023, marking Cyrus's first appearance on an IFPI annual global Top 10 chart.
The song's popularity continued into 2024, with 'Flowers' winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. It also received a nomination for Song of the Year. As of September 2024, 'Flowers' has logged the most weeks at No. 1 across all radio rankings it has topped, including an unprecedented 106 cumulative weeks atop all Billboard airplay charts.
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Frequently asked questions
It is rumoured that Miley Cyrus' ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, played Bruno Mars' song When I Was Your Man at their wedding.
Yes, Miley Cyrus' song Flowers is said to be a response to Bruno Mars' When I Was Your Man.
No, Miley Cyrus did not credit Bruno Mars for 'Flowers'.
No, Bruno Mars did not sue Miley Cyrus. However, Miley Cyrus was sued for copyright infringement by a subsidiary called Tempo Music, which had acquired a percentage of one of the writers of 'When I Was Your Man'.
'Flowers' was well-received by the public, topping charts worldwide and being named one of 2023's biggest pop smashes.































