In September 2017, Miley Cyrus dropped her highly-anticipated sixth album, Younger Now. The project found the hit singer/songwriter shifting from edgy rock-pop to a more organic, country-centered sound. “Rainbowland,” one of the most buzzed-about tracks from the record, is an enchanting duet with Cyrus’s godmother, Dolly Parton.
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The Lyrics
This playful collaboration starts with a recorded message from Parton, voicing her excitement over the project. “Rainbowland” quickly shifts into a sweet and inspirational plea for unity and acceptance.
Living in a Rainbowland
Where you and I go hand in hand
Oh, I’d be lying if I said this was fine
All the hurt and the hate going on here
Because of the usage of rainbow imagery throughout, many within the LGBTQ+ community connected with the inclusive lyricism of “Rainbowland.”
We are rainbows, me and you
Every color, every hue
Let’s shine on through
Together, we can start living in a Rainbowland
Although the lyrics are straightforward, the pair’s soaring vocals add plenty of sparkle, transforming it into a captivatingly hopeful anthem. “Rainbowland” wasn’t selected as a single for Younger Now and didn’t appear on radio charts. Still, it is often cited as a favorite by longtime fans of Cyrus.
The Controversy
In March 2023, a Wisconsin elementary school became the subject of national media attention after banning their students from performing “Rainbowland.” According to Entertainment Weekly, the decision to bar children from singing the song at a planned spring concert was because the song’s lyrics “could be deemed controversial.”
Teacher Melissa Tempel spoke out about the decision via social media, which garnered the attention of the Happy Hippie Foundation, Cyrus’s nonprofit organization. They shared a message of support online and committed a donation to Pride and Less Prejudice, which distributes “LGBTQ age-appropriate” books to schools free of charge.
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“To the inspiring first-grade students at Heyer Elementary, keep being YOU,” the foundation stated on X, the social media platform formally known as Twitter. “We believe in our Happy Hippie heart that you’ll be the ones to brush the judgment and fear aside and make all of us more understanding and accepting.”
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
