Noah Cyrus’ ‘Don’t Put It All On Me’ Is an Epic Fail, Sounds Like A Miley Cyrus Throwaway

Noah Cyrus, once lauded for her emotional depth and raw vulnerability, teams up with Fleet Foxes for the release of her new single Don’t Put It All On Me. While both artists are known for their musical prowess, this collaboration has left many listeners underwhelmed and disappointed.

Released via RECORDS/Columbia Records, the track has failed to live up to expectations, leaving fans questioning the direction of Cyrus’s musical evolution. Here’s why this collaboration missed the mark.

A Disjointed Collaboration: The Chemistry That Wasn’t

On paper, the partnership between Noah Cyrus and Fleet Foxes seems like a match made in indie music heaven. Cyrus’s haunting, soulful vocals have been praised for their emotional resonance, while Fleet Foxes, led by Robin Pecknold, are known for their beautifully intricate harmonies and lush arrangements. However, Don’t Put It All On Me does not capitalize on this potential, resulting in a collaboration that feels forced and lackluster.

Instead of blending their unique sounds into a seamless narrative, the two artists’ styles clash, leaving listeners with an underwhelming and disconnected listening experience. Cyrus’s performance is drowned out by overly complex instrumentation, and Fleet Foxes’s harmonies, which usually create magical moments, come across as lifeless and uninspired here. The track feels more like a random assortment of sounds than a cohesive artistic vision, making it hard to understand why the collaboration was even attempted in the first place.

An Emotional Disconnect: The Lack of Depth in the Lyrics

When Noah Cyrus first emerged on the scene, her songs were celebrated for their emotional depth and raw honesty. Tracks like I Got So High That I Saw Jesus and The Hardest Part demonstrated her ability to craft deeply personal and introspective lyrics that resonated with her audience. However, Don’t Put It All On Me feels emotionally hollow, with lyrics that lack the depth and vulnerability Cyrus is known for.

Written by her brother Braison Cyrus, the song attempts to delve into themes of family dynamics and emotional burden. While the intention behind the song is admirable, the lyrics feel trite and fail to capture the emotional complexity that could have made this track stand out. Rather than offering a cathartic release or insightful reflection, the song feels like a surface-level exploration of familiar themes, without any of the rawness or nuance fans have come to expect from Cyrus’s work.

A Musical Journey That Goes Nowhere

Musically, Don’t Put It All On Me starts off promisingly enough with a sparse piano arrangement and Noah’s delicate vocals. However, as the song progresses, it fails to evolve in any meaningful way. The addition of pedal steel and guitar, which might have added depth to the track, instead feels like a forced attempt to create an anthemic sound. The swelling instrumentation is abrupt and unnecessary, disrupting the track’s initial delicate mood.

The song’s trajectory from simplicity to grandeur feels clumsy and undercooked. Rather than building towards an emotional climax, the track remains stagnant, failing to engage listeners on a deeper level. Instead of feeling like a powerful plea, as Noah describes it, the song remains flat, leaving listeners disengaged and unimpressed.

The Music Video: A Visual Letdown

The music video for Don’t Put It All On Me, directed by Luis Villanueva, attempts to compensate for the song’s shortcomings with ethereal visuals. However, much like the song itself, the video falls short of delivering a captivating experience. The dreamlike imagery and surreal visuals are meant to evoke a sense of longing and self-discovery, but they feel disconnected from the song’s emotional core.

While the video features beautiful cinematography and stunning natural landscapes, it lacks the emotional resonance that could have elevated the song. The visuals appear to be trying too hard to mask the song’s emotional emptiness, failing to create the immersive, introspective experience that might have made Don’t Put It All On Me more memorable.

The High Expectations: Why This Missed the Mark

The disappointment with Don’t Put It All On Me stems from the high expectations surrounding the collaboration. Noah Cyrus has been building a reputation for her emotionally rich songwriting and haunting vocals, while Fleet Foxes have carved out their own legacy as one of the most beloved indie bands of the last decade. Together, they should have been able to create something truly special. Instead, this song feels like a missed opportunity to combine their talents in a meaningful way.

For fans who have followed both artists for years, the lack of creative chemistry is glaring. The song feels as though it was rushed, a half-hearted attempt at capturing the magic that both artists have shown in their previous work. As a result, Don’t Put It All On Me feels like a step backward for both Noah Cyrus and Fleet Foxes, rather than a bold new chapter in their musical journeys.

Critics Weigh In: The Reception So Far

The reception to Don’t Put It All On Me has been largely negative, with critics pointing to its lack of emotional depth and musical incoherence. Rolling Stone, a publication that has previously praised Cyrus’s music, criticized the track for its “uninspired” approach and lack of substance. “It’s a song that starts with promise but quickly fizzles out,” the review states. Similarly, Pitchfork described the collaboration as “disjointed and forgettable,” calling it a “missed opportunity” for both artists.

Fans have also expressed their disappointment on social media, with many pointing out that the track fails to live up to the high standards set by both Cyrus and Fleet Foxes. While some have praised the track’s potential, the overwhelming consensus is that the song is a letdown in comparison to the artists’ previous work.

What’s Next for Noah Cyrus?

Don’t Put It All On Me may have failed to make the impact that Noah Cyrus and Fleet Foxes were hoping for, but it doesn’t necessarily signal the end of Cyrus’s musical journey. While this track falls flat, it’s clear that Cyrus’s artistic potential remains undeniable. Fans are hoping that she will bounce back with new music that recaptures the emotional depth and vulnerability that made her debut album The Hardest Part so compelling.

As for Fleet Foxes, they too will likely regroup and focus on refining their sound, which has often been at its best when it stays true to their signature style of folk-inspired music. This collaboration may not have worked, but both artists have proven their ability to create deeply resonant music in the past. It’s not out of the question that they will both find their footing again in future releases.

A Disappointment That Could Have Been Great

Don’t Put It All On Me is a disappointing collaboration that fails to live up to the promise of its two talented artists. What could have been a hauntingly beautiful track about family, emotional burdens, and self-discovery instead feels like a half-hearted attempt that misses the mark both musically and emotionally. While Noah Cyrus and Fleet Foxes have the potential to create something much greater, this collaboration simply does not deliver, leaving fans feeling disillusioned and unsatisfied.