Miley Cyrus is said to be concerned that she may be forced to publicly acknowledge that her hit song Flowers was inspired by her ex-husband Liam Hemsworth.
Cyrus is being sued by Tempo Music Investments for allegedly copying Bruno Mars' 2012 track When I Was Your Man. Mars is not named or involved in the lawsuit.
Cyrus, 31, is said to not be overly worried about the lawsuit itself, according to sources cited by MailOnline, but is uncomfortable about having to confirm that Flowers was written about Hemsworth.
Fans have pointed out that the song's music video features several references to her relationship with Hemsworth.
Cyrus released the single and video on January 13, which is Hemsworth's birthday.
A source told MailOnline: "Miley isn’t too concerned about the lawsuit, but everyone close to her knows the song was about healing from Liam."
Cyrus and Hemsworth were engaged in May 2012, before splitting in 2013 and reuniting in 2016. The couple married in December 2018 and divorced in January 2020.
Hemsworth reportedly dedicated Mars' When I Was Your Man to Cyrus during their relationship, and it was said to have been played at their wedding.
The lyrics of Flowers are seen as a direct response to Mars' song, particularly as Cyrus flips the original lyrics about regret over a lost partner. Mars sings, “I should have bought you flowers,” while Cyrus counters with, “I can take myself dancing.”
The insider explained: "She wrote the song in reaction to Bruno's lyrics because that was Liam’s song to her. She only cared that he knew it was for him. Miley initially wrote it as a slow ballad, not the upbeat version it became."
Cyrus is reportedly anxious about being forced to make public statements on record. "She is worried about having to reveal her inspiration for the song," the source added.
"While she's fine admitting it was a response to Bruno’s song, revealing it was specifically about Liam is unsettling."
The pop star is said to be waiting to see how the lawsuit plays out, hoping it will be dismissed before any disclosures are required.
Representatives for Cyrus and Mars have yet to comment on the lawsuit.
