On Friday, Sept. 16., Noah Cyrus released her second album “The Hardest Part.” Cyrus, best known for songs “July” and “Make Me (Cry),” creates lyrically-driven pieces best described as indie pop with elements of classic country music. In “The Hardest Part,” Cyrus captures the anxiety that comes with heartbreak and growing up.

“Noah (Stand Still)” is a beautiful song about being young and paranoia about the future. The song itself is very immersive and dreamlike. I think a lot of people will relate to this song and its comforting message of staying grounded. After the album’s release, Cyrus released a version of “Noah (Stand Still)” that is a duet with her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus. The original version of this song is already incredible; the duet takes the song to another level.

Cyrus’ past duets are some of my favorite songs in this world, and her new duet “Every Beginning Ends” did not disappoint. The song is a live recording with Benjamin Gibbard, which I thought was really great. The live recording showcases Cyrus’ talent and the chemistry between the singers’ voices, adding to the song’s value. “Every Beginning Ends” is also a storytelling song, which reminds me of something I really enjoy — old country.

“Ready To Go” is a really catchy song and one I think I will listen to the most off the album. The music is sweet, contrasting with the lyrics which are kind of sad. “Ready To Go” also reminds me of Cyrus’ song “July,” which is representative of what her overall style as an artist has been over the past few years.

“I Burned LA Down” is a beautiful song about a breakup. The music and lyrics compliment each other really well with a fiery upbeat and Cyrus’ lower-toned voice.

One of the most impressive songs to me on the album was “My Side of the Bed.” In this song, Cyrus amplified a lot of emotions and conveyed the full story of a relationship just by describing one simple scene. This is another song I think people will really relate to.

“Unfinished” is another upbeat sad song. It feels like it could be in a ‘90s romance. It’s definitely one of the more fun songs on the album.

I am not the biggest fan of “The Hardest Part,” which is unfortunate considering the album is named after this song. The message reflecting on the anxieties of getting older is amazing, and certain parts of this song made me really emotional the first time hearing them, but the drums feel like way too much and I am not a fan. Overall, I love the lyrics — not the music.

“Mr. Percocet” was released four months ago, before the full album, and one of the worst songs in the collection. It’s upbeat, which I don’t mind, but it’s lacking something to make me connect with it like a lot of the other songs do. It’s pretty good, but not a favorite.

Similarly, I didn’t enjoy “I Just Want a Lover” very much. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with the song, it’s just not my vibe. It’s more pop based, but almost with a Halloween movie undertone that I don’t enjoy.

Overall, I appreciated “The Hardest Part” and how it addresses the stress and anxiety that comes with being a young person. There is clearly a lot of experimentation across certain songs within the album, which is generally hit or miss, but the album still holds onto a lot of the characteristics of Cyrus’ previous releases that I love. There is also a certain level of maturity to this album that shows Cyrus’ growth as a lyricist and person that makes me excited to listen to her future projects.