In addition to some fun activities overseas, Miley Cyrus has been concentrating on work amid her breakup from husband Liam Hemsworth.
The 26-year-old pop star released a new song called "Slide Away" on Friday at midnight EST, just days after their split was announced. And, over the course of the nearly 4 minute track, she seems to hint at their relationship's demise.
"Once upon a time, it was paradise / once upon a time, I was paralyzed," she belts out. "But it's time to let it go / once upon a time, it was made for us / woke up one day, it had turned to dust / baby, we were found, but now we're lost / so it's time to let it go."
She addresses losing their Malibu home in last year's wildfires—"I want my house in the hills"—and perhaps what drove the duo of more than a decade apart. As she sings, "Don't want
the whiskey and pills / I don't give up easily / but I don't think I'm down."
And now, per the lyrics, they've gone their separate ways. Hemsworth, an avid surfer, is home in Australia with his brother Chris Hemsworth while Cyrus just returned to L.A. from an Italian getaway. "So won't you slide away," she says. "Back to the ocean, I'll go back to the city lights."
Indeed, they have changed since the met on set of The Last Song in 2010. "Move on, we're not 17," Cyrus sings. "I'm not who I used to be / you say that everything changed / you're right, we're grown now."
Earlier this week, Miley shared a photo of herself wearing headphones in a music studio sound booth, spurring speculation that new music was on the way.
Miley's rep announced last Saturday that the singer and Liam had broken up. The two wed in December after dating on and off for nine years.
While this is the first song Miley has released since the split was announced, it is unclear if it was written or recorded while she and Liam were separated. E! News has learned that Miley and Liam have been broken up for a while. On Monday, Liam broke his silence about his split from Miley, writing on Instagram that he and Miley had "recently separated." He added, "I wish her nothing but health and happiness going forward."
The singer last released new music in late May. She dropped a new six-track EP, She Is Coming, set to be part of an upcoming album. On the day of its release, Liam paid tribute to Miley on Instagram.
After the split was made public, a source told E! News that Liam is "focused on a more simplified lifestyle while Miley has been preparing for a new wave of her music career."
"She has been ready to put out music and be back in the game touring and performing. They really grew apart," the source said. "Miley and Liam have still been communicating and it wasn't a messy split but they have decided they are at different points in their lives currently."
Days before the breakup announcement, Miley began a girls' trip to Italy with her sister Brandi Cyrus and friend Kaitlynn Carter, who recently split from partner Brody Jenner.
Hours before the split was made public, Miley and Kaitlynn made headlines over photos of them kissing and cuddling on their vacation. The women have been friends for a while and had bonded even more over their breakups. E! News had also learned that the two were having some fun and there is nothing serious between them.
Miley is also expected to perform next month at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas.