Singer-songwriter Miley Cyrus opened up to People about the personal experiences that inspired her new credits song “Dream as One” for James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. For Cyrus, the song is rooted in resilience, love, and the power of community — themes drawn from her own life, including rebuilding her Malibu home after it was destroyed in wildfires.

Personal Experience Fuels the Song

“Fire and Ash… I’ve had my own experience with rebuilding from the ground up,” Cyrus, 33, told People. She lost her Malibu home in the devastating 2018 California wildfires and has since rebuilt it, finding strength in the process.

The singer explains that her Los Angeles community also influenced the song. “After we experienced the fires this year,” referencing the January 2025 wildfires that impacted Palisades and Altadena, “we’ve all had this idea of being there for each other and stepping in when your people need it. Not just your family, but your chosen family as well.”

Cyrus describes the song’s core message as about resilience, courage, and finding that all you really need is each other — an idea that resonates both personally and universally.

Inspiration from Loss and Love

Cyrus has spoken in the past about the transformative power of losing her Malibu home with ex-husband Liam Hemsworth. At a May screening of her visual album Something Beautiful, she called that loss “the biggest blessing I’ve ever had in my life,” emphasizing that life’s darker moments often guide us toward growth and light.

Now, as she embarks on a new chapter with her engagement to Maxx Morando, Cyrus draws on her personal experiences to inform her artistry. “That ability to rise again,” she says, “is what Avatar: Fire and Ash is really about.”

Writing “Dream as One” for Avatar: Fire and Ash

Unlike her usual process of writing music before visuals, Cyrus was able to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash in a work-in-progress stage, allowing her to align the song directly with the film’s themes. “I came in kind of late, so feeling like I got to be a part of building it — and to design musically and lyrically around what the themes of Fire and Ash are all about — was really special,” she says.

The third installment of the franchise continues the story of Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), picking up after the death of their eldest child and the rise of a new Na’vi clan threatening their family. Cyrus’ song reflects the emotional weight of the film while embedding itself into the narrative, ensuring that the music and visuals feel inseparable.

Cyrus’ Approach to Film Music

Cyrus explained her philosophy on film songwriting: “I really feel myself attached to songs. There are certain songs that, even if they were written for the film or just used in the film, like I Will Always Love You, you immediately think of the movie itself and they become embedded.”

Her work on Avatar: Fire and Ash demonstrates her ability to translate personal resilience into universal storytelling — a skill that has positioned her as a sought-after collaborator for filmmakers and showrunners in Hollywood.

Avatar: Fire and Ash Now in Theaters

“Dream as One” underscores the film’s themes of rebirth, community, and love, connecting Cyrus’ personal journey with the narrative arc of Pandora. Avatar: Fire and Ash premiered on December 19, 2025, and Cyrus’ song plays during the credits, leaving audiences with a lasting emotional impression.