Malibu

🕰 Style & Background

• Style: Dream Pop

• Originally recorded by: Miley Cyrus

• Arranged by: Natalie Cardillo

• Language: English (USA)

🎯 Programming Use

• ✅ ICHSA/ICCA Opener or Middle

• ✅ A Cappella Concert

• ✅ Pops Concert

• ✅ Thematic Program (California/Place Songs, Nature)

💡 Why This Piece Works

This arrangement of Malibu gives a laid-back pop anthem a fresh, artful edge. The original’s breezy nostalgia is reimagined through a hypnotic soundscape of airy vowels, cascading rhythms, and subtly shifting textures.

From the opening “mm” and “oo” motifs, the ensemble builds an atmosphere that feels suspended in time — like standing on a beach with the wind in your hair. Vocal percussion enters lightly, creating lift without ever disturbing the floaty aesthetic.

Chromatic fragments weave in and out of the background lines, creating a liquid, wave-like texture that shimmers beneath the soloist. The chorus blooms with glowing harmonies and echoes of the phrase “next to you,” emphasizing the emotional heartbeat of the song.

Moments of rhythmic density are carefully balanced with space, giving your singers room to breathe — and your audience space to feel. And just when the listener feels settled, the “belt chorus” surprises with a powerful dynamic lift, giving the piece its climactic punch before drifting back into stillness.

This arrangement thrives on blend, breath, and restraint — a perfect palate cleanser in any set that leans too heavy or too loud. It invites listeners to exhale and remember that softness can be just as powerful as strength.

🎵 Musical Characteristics

Melodic Range

Key and Tonality

Ab Major

Solfege Accessibility: Easy — diatonic, no accidentals

🍎 Tips from the Teacher

• Keep the “da dins” light, precise, and rhythmically clean — they should feel like sparkles, not accents

• Choose a Soprano 1 with a gentle tone for the harmony in 3rds with the solo — it should support, not compete

• Use the layered harmonies in the bridge to build momentum and dynamic energy leading into an emotional belt chorus

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