Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus (born Destiny Hope Cyrus; November 23, 1992)[2] is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. She made her debut in three episodes of the series Doc before appearing in a minor role for the film Big Fish in 2003. In 2006, she was established as a teen idol with the success of the Hannah Montana franchise, a former Disney Channel sitcom in which she portrayed the role of Miley Stewart and Hannah Montana. Cyrus later recorded numerous songs for the soundtrack of the first season. She later signed a deal with Hollywood Records and released the joint album Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus. The album served as both a soundtrack and Cyrus' debut album, and went on to sell over three million copies in the US alone. The album also spawned the Top 10 hit "See You Again" and the less successful "Start All Over". To promote the album, Cyrus embarked on the Best of Both Worlds Tour, which was later adapted into the 2008 film Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert. Cyrus released her first solo album, Breakout, in 2008. The album became her third to top the Billboard 200, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Breakout featured the successful singles "7 Things" and "Fly on the Wall".
That same year, she launched her film career by appearing as the voice of Penny in the animated film Bolt; she earned a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for her performance of its theme song, "I Thought I Lost You". In 2009, she starred in the feature film Hannah Montana: The Movie. The film's soundtrack introduced Cyrus to audiences within country and adult contemporary markets. It also featured the hit single "The Climb", which went on to become one of Cyrus' most successful singles to date. With the release of her extended play The Time of Our Lives that same year, she began to cultivate an adult image and developed a more mainstream pop sound. It spawned the highly successful single "Party in the U.S.A.", which went on to become Cyrus' highest peaking single on the Billboard Hot 100 to date. Cyrus further adapted a mature image with the release of the film The Last Song and her third studio album, Can't Be Tamed. The album incorporated more dance elements than her previous efforts, and subsequent performances featured a more sexual theme. Following the album's release, Cyrus chose to focus on her film career. In 2011, she appeared in the drama film LOL alongside Demi Moore. The film featured themes of teenage rebellion and saw Cyrus' character using drugs and drinking. LOL received a limited release, and failed to make back its budget. She later appeared in the direct-to-video film So Undercover along with Kelly Osbourne. Cyrus' fourth studio album is scheduled for release in 2013 by RCA Records, and is preceded by lead single "We Can't Stop".
Since her debut, Cyrus has become one of the most successful artists to originate from Disney. Cyrus ranked number thirteen on Forbes' 2010 Celebrity 100.[3] For the 2011 Guinness World Records, she was named the “Most Charted Teenager” following her 29th US Billboard Hot 100 chart entry on November 7, 2009 with “Party in the USA”.[4] She has attained a total of six Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and had five RIAA certified albums by the age of 18.
Nashville, Tennessee, the city where Cyrus was born.Cyrus was born on November 23, 1992, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Letitia Jean "Tish"[5] (née Finley) and country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.[6][7] Her parents named her Destiny Hope because they believed that she would accomplish great things with her life. They gave her the nickname "Smiley", which was later shortened to "Miley", because she smiled so often as a baby.[8] Cyrus suffers from a mild heart condition causing tachycardia which, though not dangerous, is often bothersome.[9] Against the advice of her father's record company,[10] Cyrus's parents secretly married a month after Cyrus's birth on December 28, 1992.[7][11] Tish had two children from a previous relationship: Trace and Brandi. Billy Ray adopted Trace and Brandi when they were young.[12] She has a half-brother, Christopher Cody, Billy Ray's son from a brief relationship, born the same year as Miley; he grew up with his mother in South Carolina.[10] Tish and Billy Ray had two more children, Braison and Noah. Cyrus's godmother is entertainer Dolly Parton.[13] Cyrus was very close to her paternal grandfather, Democratic politician Ronald Ray Cyrus.[14] Cyrus has paid her grandfather several tributes since his death in 2006, including eventually changing her middle name to "Ray".[15] According to Cyrus's father, "A lot of people say Miley changed her name to Miley Ray because of Billy Ray, but that's not true. She did that in honor of my dad, because the two of them just loved each other to pieces."[9]
Cyrus grew up on a 500-acre (2.0 km2) farm in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville,[16] and attended Heritage Elementary School.[17] She was raised Christian and was baptized in a Southern Baptist church prior to moving to Hollywood in 2005.[18] She attended church regularly while growing up and wore a purity ring.[19] Several of Cyrus's siblings also eventually entered the entertainment business: Trace became a vocalist and guitarist for the electronic pop band Metro Station,[20] Noah became an actress, and Brandi became a guitarist.[21] In 2001, when Cyrus was eight, she and her family moved to Toronto, Canada while her father filmed the television series Doc.[22] Cyrus said watching her father film the show inspired her to pursue acting. After Billy Ray took her to see a 2001 Mirvish production of Mamma Mia! at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Cyrus grabbed his arm and told him, "This is what I want to do, daddy. I want to be an actress."[23] She began taking singing and acting classes at the Armstrong Acting Studio in Toronto.[24] In her first role, Cyrus played a girl named Kylie on Doc.[8] In 2003, Cyrus was credited under her birth name for her role as "Young Ruthie" in Tim Burton's Big Fish.[25] During this time, she also auditioned with Taylor Lautner for the feature film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D and it came down to her and another actress, but Cyrus started doing Hannah Montana instead.[26]
Cyrus at 2008 MTV Video Music AwardsAt age 11, Cyrus learned about the casting for what became Hannah Montana, a Disney Channel children's television series about a school girl with a secret double life as a teen pop star. Cyrus sent in a tape auditioning for the show's best friend role, but received a call asking her to audition for the lead, "Chloe Stewart".[27] After sending in a new tape and flying to Hollywood for further auditions,[28] Cyrus was told that she was too young and too small for the part.[28][29] However, her persistence and ability to sing in addition to act led the show's producers to invite her back for further auditions. Cyrus eventually received the lead, renamed "Miley Stewart" after herself, at the age of twelve.[28] Hannah Montana became an instant hit and propelled Cyrus to teen idol status, according to The Daily Telegraph.[25] The series premiered on March 24, 2006, to the largest audience ever for a Disney Channel show[30] and soon became one of the highest-rated series on basic cable, elevating Cyrus's wealth and fame along with it.[31] Time magazine reports that Cyrus's "phenom[enal]" success is due partially to her talent and partially to "Disney learning to use its vast, multimedia holdings" and market Cyrus and Hannah Montana appropriately.[32] Cyrus eventually became the first artist to have deals in television, film, consumer products, and music within The Walt Disney Company.[33]
As Cyrus' career took off, Tish Cyrus made several critical decisions regarding her daughter's representation. She signed Cyrus with Mitchell Gossett, director of the youth division at Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty. Gossett, who specializes in creating child stars, had arranged for Cyrus's auditions for Hannah Montana and is credited with "discovering" her.[33][34] For Cyrus's music career, Tish followed the advice of Cyrus' godmother, country singer Dolly Parton, and signed Cyrus with Jason Morey of Morey Management Group. "Dolly said the Moreys are people you can trust around your daughter," Tish Cyrus recalls, "and she said they have good morals, which is not always the case in this business."[35] According to trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter, Parton's advice was "the best advice [Tish] could [have gotten] on who should rep her daughter."[35] Tish also recruited Billy Ray's business manager to manage her daughter's finances. Tish herself continues to co-manage or produce many of Cyrus's career decisions.[35] For her education, Cyrus enrolled at Options for Youth Charter Schools[36] and studied with a private tutor on the set of her television show.[37]
The theme song for Hannah Montana, known as "The Best of Both Worlds", was released on March 28, 2006.[38] "The Best of Both Worlds" is credited to "Hannah Montana", the pop star Cyrus portrays on the series by the same name. As with other songs credited to Montana, Cyrus typically dressed as the character when performing the song live.[39] The song became Cyrus' first charting song, when it debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100.[40] The song also had success in countries such as the UK and Ireland, where it peaked at number 43 and 17, respectively.[41][42] Dressed as Hannah Montana, Cyrus opened for The Cheetah Girls on twenty dates of their The Party's Just Begun Tour, beginning on September 15, 2006.[43] On October 24 of same year, Walt Disney Records released the first Hannah Montana soundtrack. Of the nine tracks on the soundtrack performed by Cyrus, eight were credited to "Hannah Montana" and one, a duet with her father titled "I Learned from You", was credited to Cyrus as herself. Cyrus's first release under her own name had been a cover of James Baskett's "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", released on April 4, 2006, on the fourth edition of DisneyMania.[44] The soundtrack immediately proved to be a success, debuting at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 281,000 copies.[45] The album managed, to stay at the top of the chart during it's second week,[46] and went on to sell over 3.7 million copies worldwide.[47] During this time period, Cyrus also released the song "Ready, Set, Don't Go", a collaboration with her father.[48] It became her first Top 40 hit credited as herself, peaking at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.[49] It also became her first Top 10 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at number 4.[50]
The second season of Hannah Montana premiered on April 23, 2007, and ran until October 12, 2008.[51] Shortly afterwards, Cyrus signed a four-album deal with Disney-owned Hollywood Records.[52] On June 26, 2007 Cyrus released the double-disc album Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus.[53] The first disc was the soundtrack to the second season of Hannah Montana, while the second disc served as Cyrus' debut studio album. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 326,000 copies.[54] The album went on to be certified certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[55] The album spawned the single "See You Again", which served as Cyrus' first single as a solo artist. The song quickly became a hit, and became her first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[56] It was eventually certified Platinum in the country, making it her first single to be RIAA certified.[57] The single also had success in countries such as Australia and Canada, where it also peaked inside of the Top 10.[58][59] The album's second single, "Start All Over", was released in early 2008. The single failed to match the success of it's predecessor, debuting and peaking at number 68 on the Hot 100 chart.[60][61] Numerous songs from the Hannah Montana portion of the album charted worldwide following it's release.[62][63][64]
Cyrus performing on the Best of Both Worlds TourDuring the fall of 2007, Cyrus launched the Best of Both Worlds Tour to promote the joint album. With the Jonas Brothers, Aly & AJ, and Everlife as her opening acts, Cyrus toured from October 17, 2007, to January 31, 2008, with stops in the U.S. and Canada.[65] Tickets sold out in minutes and were scalped for up to $2,500 and an average of $214, well above their $26–$65 face value.[66] A Ticketmaster official commented, "People who have been in this business for a long time are watching what's happening, and they say there hasn't been a demand of this level or intensity since The Beatles or Elvis."[67] After the end of the Best of Both Worlds Tour in January 2008, Walt Disney Pictures released Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, a 3D concert film of the tour, on February 1, 2008, for what was expected to be a one-week run. The film earned over $31 million[68] at the box-office and an average of $42,000 per theater, twice the expected total, convincing Disney executives to extend the release for an indefinite run. "We don't want to turn away kids from the theaters who couldn't get into the concerts," said Chuck Viane, Disney's chief of distribution.[69] The film's soundtrack was released by Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records on March 11, 2008, and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.[70]
In February 2008, Cyrus and her friend Mandy Jiroux opened a YouTube account and began posting videos of what they called The Miley and Mandy Show. The show, described as a "YouTube hit", is said to be filmed for fun by Cyrus and Jiroux and to be entirely their work, with Cyrus and Jiroux editing the footage together.[71] In May 2008, Gossett, Cyrus's longtime acting agent, left Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty for United Talent Agency, partially with the hope of "giving Cyrus the major-agency backing that would support a widening career", according to The Hollywood Reporter.[35][72] About a year later in June 2009, Cyrus left both Gossett and UTA, which had recently negotiated her deals for The Last Song and the fourth season of Hannah Montana, and joined the Creative Artists Agency, which had already represented her for music.[73] Nikki Finke, who broke the news, reported, "Is this fair to UTA? Of course not. But I hear the decision was made by Miley's mother Trish [sic] Cyrus".[74] Cyrus celebrated her 16th birthday at Disneyland with a charity fundraiser for Youth Service America, a youth volunteer service organization.[75][76][77]
On July 22, 2008, Cyrus released her second studio album under her own name, titled Breakout. Cyrus said Breakout was inspired by "what's been going on in my life in the past year."[60] Cyrus co-wrote eight out of twelve songs on the album.[60] "Songwriting is what I really want to do with my life forever, [...] I just hope this record showcases that, more than anything, I'm a writer."[78] Breakout debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 371,000 copies.[79] This made it Cyrus' highest first week sales to date, and gave Cyrus her third number one album on the chart. The album went on to receive a Platinum certification from the RIAA, denoting sales of one million copies.[55] Breakout was preceded by the lead single "7 Things", which became her second single to reach the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.[61][80] The album's second single, "Fly on the Wall", failed to have the same success, peaking at number 84 on the Hot 100.[81] It was, however, successful in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 16 on the singles chart.[42] Cyrus hosted the 2008 CMT Music Awards with her father in April[82] and the 2008 Teen Choice Awards by herself in August.[83] In 2008, Cyrus provided the voice of Penny in the 2008 computer-animated film Bolt, which was released on November 21, 2008, to critical acclaim.[84] Cyrus also co-wrote and recorded the song "I Thought I Lost You" as a duet with John Travolta for the film, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.[85]
Cyrus performing during the Gypsy Heart TourIn 2009, Cyrus starred as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana in Hannah Montana: The Movie. Both the film and its soundtrack, which contained twelve songs performed by Cyrus,[86] achieved commercial success.[87][88] The soundtrack's lead single, "The Climb", became a Top 40 hit in twelve countries[89] and introduced Cyrus to listeners outside her typical teen pop audience.[90] Cyrus had considered ending Hannah Montana after its third season, which finished production on June 5, 2009,[91] but Disney retained and exercised its option for a fourth season.[92] In September 2009, she participated in the charity single "Just Stand Up!" in support of the anti-cancer campaign Stand Up to Cancer[93] and in the City of Hope Benefit Concert in support of cancer research and training programs.[94] She also became involved in Disney's Friends for Change, an environmentalist group, for which she recorded the charity single "Send It On" along with several other Disney Channel stars.[95] Shortly afterwards, Cyrus launched the third Hannah Montana soundtrack. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 137,000 copies.[96] This was significantly lower than the first week sales for Cyrus' previous albums, and the soundtrack became her first to not receive an RIAA certification. The soundtrack did, however, spawn the single "He Could Be the One", which entered the Top 10 of the Hot 100.[58] In March 2009, Cyrus published Miles to Go, a memoir co-written by Hilary Liftin chronicling her life through age sixteen.[97]
In 2009, Cyrus launched her first clothing line with Max Azria, which was sold exclusively at Wal Mart.[98][99] To promote the clothing line, Cyrus released her first extended play, The Time of Our Lives on August 31, 2009.[100] Cyrus said The Time of Our Lives "is a transitioning album. [...] really to introduce people to what I want my next record to sound like and with time I will be able to do that a little more."[101] The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 62,000 copies.[102] The following week, however, the album rose to number 2 on the chart, selling 153,000 copies.[103] "Party in the U.S.A.", the album's lead single, debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, making it her highest charting single to date.[104] To promote the album, Cyrus embarked on the Wonder World Tour. The tour proved to be critically and commercially successful, grossing over $67.1 million worldwide.[105] On December 7, 2009, Cyrus performed for Queen Elizabeth II and numerous other members of the British Royal Family at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, North West England.[106]
Cyrus had already begun transitioning to a more grown-up image in late 2008, when her representatives negotiated a deal for novelist Nicholas Sparks to write the screenplay and novel basis for a film that would serve as a star vehicle for Cyrus by introducing her to audiences older than the young fans she had gained through Hannah Montana.[107] Sparks and co-writer Jeff Van Wie developed The Last Song.[107] It was important to Cyrus that she not be type cast as a singer: "I didn't want to be a singer in another film. I don't want to do that anymore. You have no idea how many musicals show up on my door. I want to do something a little more serious."[108] Production on The Last Song lasted from June 15, 2009, to August 18, 2009.[109] Cyrus starred in The Last Song, which was released on March 31, 2010 and received generally poor reviews, as did Cyrus's performance.[110] Nonetheless, the film was commercially successful, grossing more than $88 million at the worldwide box office.[111] According to box-office analyst Exhibitor Relations, the film marked "a successful transition to adult roles for Miley Cyrus."[112] Before leaving to work on the film, Cyrus ended her nine-month relationship with model Justin Gaston.[113] While filming later that month, Cyrus began dating her co-star in The Last Song, Australian actor Liam Hemsworth.[114] She later called him her "first serious boyfriend".[115] Though the couple initially broke up shortly after the film's release,[116][117] they later reconciled.[118] During this time period, production on the fourth and final season of Hannah Montana began.[119] The fourth and final season began airing on Disney Channel on July 11, 2010, and concluded on January 16, 2011.[120]
Cyrus at the 38th People's Choice Awards, Red Carpet 2012While working on these appearances, Cyrus began recording for her third studio album. In the midst of this, Cyrus appeared on the charity singles "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti" and "Everybody Hurts", both of which were recorded for the 2010 Haiti earthquake.[121][122] Her third studio album, Can't Be Tamed, was released on June 21, 2010.[123] This would become her last album to be released through Hollywood Records. The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 106,000 copies. This made it the lowest first week sales for one of Cyrus' studio albums, and her first studio album to not peak at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album only went on to sell a total of 343,000 copies in the United States to date, failing to receive an RIAA certification.[124] The album was preceded by the lead single, "Can't Be Tamed". The single was released for sale on May 18, 2010, and peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.[125] The album's second and final single, "Who Owns My Heart", was released only in select European countries.[126][127] In February 2011, Cyrus confirmed she would be embarking on her Gypsy Heart Tour, which featured no North American dates.[128] Cyrus later explained "Right now I just want to go to the places where I am getting the most love and Australia and South America have done that for me."[129] The tour began in South America on April 29, 2011 and concluded on July 2 in Australia. The outfits and dance routines used by Cyrus while promoting Can't Be Tamed were considerably more provocative than previous performances, arousing media criticism.[130]
Following the release of Can't Be Tamed, Cyrus confirmed she would be taking a break from her music career, opting rather to focus on acting.[131] She commented, "I've not taken, like, acting lessons or anything, but it doesn't mean I don't need to because I'm sure I do [...] I'm probably going to go book an acting coach."[132] She later confirmed she would not be going to college for the time being, stating "I'm a firm believer that you can go back at any age you want, because my Grandma went back to college at 62 [...] For right now, I really want to focus on my career. I've worked hard to get to where I am now, and I want to enjoy it while it lasts."[133][134][135] Cyrus hosted Saturday Night Live on March 5, 2011, where she performed in several sketches.[136][137] She later made an appearance on the MTV series Punk'd, appearing alongside Kelly Osbourne and Khloé Kardashian.[138][139] In 2012, Cyrus appeared in the film LOL, starring alongside Demi Moore.[140] Cyrus portrayed Lola,[141] a teenage girl who experiments with drinking, drugs, and various sexual acts.[142] The film received a limited release, and was critically and commercially unsuccessful.[143] Cyrus later starred in the comedy film So Undercover, appearing as an FBI agent who is required to go undercover at a college sorority.[144] The film was released direct-to-video in the United States on February 5, 2013.[145] It was also reported on August 2, 2011, by Contact Music that Cyrus has signed on to star in a comedy in which she plays a woman who broke a promise to God; the film has yet to be released.[146]
In 2012, Cyrus recorded a cover of the Bob Dylan song "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go". Cyrus' version was featured on the tribute album Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International.[147] Cyrus's version of the song earned positive reviews from music critics.[148][149][150] Beginning in 2012, Cyrus recorded various performances of herself doing covers classic songs.[151] She uploaded these performances onto video sharing website YouTube throughout the summer and fall of 2012. It was later announced that Cyrus would star the film Family Bond, portraying a girl who meets her spy father in an attempt to save her kidnapped mother. The film, distributed by Universal Pictures, is slated for release in 2013.[152] That same year, Cyrus made a guest appearance in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, appearing in two episodes as Missi, the girlfriend of character Jake Harper.[153][154] Cyrus signed on to star as Marvis in the animated film Hotel Transylvania,[155] but later dropped out to pursue her music career.[156][157] On June 6, 2012, Cyrus announced that she and Hemsworth were engaged. He proposed on May 31 with a 3.5-carat diamond ring.[158]
Following her debut, Cyrus is most often considered a pop artist. In their review of the first Hannah Montana soundtrack, The Star Scoop described the songs on the album as being "upbeat pop songs, with a splash of country."[175] CommonsenseMedia described the songs from the same album as being "upbeat" and "girl-power" oriented, citing the lyrics to "I Got Nerve" as a prime example.[176] Kirsi Bertolini for Yahoo! also felt that the song featured in Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus featured a girl-power theme, and felt that the songs were "bubbly" and "karaoke-like."[177] CinemaBlend compared the songs from Hannah Montana 2 to songs released by artists Avril Lavigne and Hilary Duff.[178] The music found on the second disc of the album, though intended to be seen as Cyrus' solo debut, were often noted as being similar in theme and style to that of Hannah Montana songs.[179][180] With the release of her second studio album Breakout, Cyrus began to distance herself from the sound featured on her soundtrack appearances.[181] The album is noted as featuring a wide variety of genres when compared to previous works by the artist.[182] The song "Fly on the Wall", taken from Breakout, is noted as featuring electropop influences in it's production, while the song "These Four Walls" is seen as featurin country aspects.[183]
The music taken from the soundtrack of the Hannah Montana movie features a more Country themed sound, in conjunction with the film's plot.[184][185] The song "Hoedown Throwdown" taken from the film is noted as combining influences of R&B and Country.[185] "The Climb" has solid, clear vocals and is a standard-issue power ballad that places piano solos between chiming electric guitars.[186] With the release of Cyrus' 2009 album The Time of Our Lives, Cyrus incorporated a mixture of elements into the songs. "Kicking and Screaming" features instrumentation that relies on glam electric guitar riffing.[187] It is noted as being the most prominent representation of rock music on The Time of Our Lives. The song "Party In the U.S.A." features a mixture of R&B and pop music,[188] while the album's title track is described as being a bouncy, dance-pop song characterized by 1980s synths[189] and a fizzy sound caused by a bubblegum pop background.[187] While recording her third studio album, Cyrus stated she hoped it would be her last pop album as she "wasn't inspired" by her music.[190] She later announced plans for a new, rock inclined sound for future albums.[101] The music featured on Can't Be Tamed is often noted as being of the dance genre and heavily relies on bass.[191] Cyrus herself later claimed the album contained music influenced by pop singer Lady Gaga and possessed techno qualities.[192] When speaking of her fourth studio album, Cyrus stated she felt the album had a "dirty south" feel,[193] and stated she had collaborated with many rappers for a hip-hop vibe.[194] She later elaborated that the album would combine the genres of hip-hop and Country, which she felt was a "good hybrid."[195]
Cyrus performing during the Wonder World Tour in 2009.Cyrus is a contralto vocal type,[196] and is noted as having a "Nashville twang" in both her speech and singing voice.[197] Songs such as "These Four Walls" have been noted as prime examples of Cyrus' twangy vocals.[198][199] In her song "Goodbye", Cyrus' vocal performance is more "roosty" with a more "natural-sounding accompaniment"[200] In "Party in the U.S.A.", Cyrus' vocals display an undertone of alternative country twang[201] and features belter refrains.[202] Cyrus' vocals for the song "Obsessed" are noted as being "husky."[203] Throughout her career, Cyrus has experimented with altering her voice. Songs such as "Fly on the Wall" see Cyrus' voice processed to sound different.[204] In "The Time of Our Lives", Cyrus' vocals display a prominent use of auto-tune, and are influenced by New Wave music.[203][205] The songs taken from her Can't Be Tamed album further explore the use of auto-tune on Cyrus' vocals. The album's title track is noted as using auto-tune throughout various portions of the song's lyrics.[206] When reviewing the Wonder World Tour, Dave Paulson of The Tennessean stated, "Cyrus' spectacle sets her apart from nearly every other A-list act touring today. She's not a renowned vocalist by any stretch, but her show's choreography barely provides a moment for her to catch her breath, and she's still able to deliver."[207]
In his review of the Best of Both Worlds tour, J. Freedom du Lac of The Washington Post described the concert as "a nearly 90-minute blast of pop in which the charismatic Cyrus – who complained that she wasn't feeling well – commanded the stage with confidence, performing with a particular swagger."[208] The performances featured on Cyrus' Wonder World Tour showed more dramatic performances; at one point, Cyrus performed on top of moving scaffolding.[209] When performing a cover of "I Love Rock & Roll" on the tour, Cyrus performed the song suspended in the air atop of a Harley-Davidson Dyna Fat Bob FXDF 2010 that traveled through the air.[210] Beginning with the release of The Time of Our Lives, Cyrus' performances became somewhat more explicit and controversial in nature. Cyrus's performance of "Party in the U.S.A." at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards incited a media uproar, with some viewers criticizing Cyrus's provocative outfit and inclusion of a brief pole dance as inappropriate for her age, then sixteen, and for her young fans.[211][212] Conversely, Newsday reported that her sexualization "has been coming for some time."[213] Ian Drew, senior editor of US Weekly, said, "She already has this risque image, so it really wasn't much of a stretch. That's how Britney [Spears] took off. She was the good girl gone bad, and it looks to be working for Miley as well."[213] Her performance of Can't Be Tamed on Britain's Got Talent garnered much controversy. Midway through the performance, Cyrus grabbed a female backup dancer, dipping her low, and simulated a kiss.[214] The performance was met with negative reactions from the media and caused her to release a statement in which Cyrus promised she did not kiss the backup dancer.[215] Cyrus wrote, "It is ridiculous that two entertainers can’t even rock out with each other without the media making it some type of story. I really hope my fans are not disappointed in me because the truth is I did nothing wrong. I got up there and did my job which is to perform to the best of my ability."[215]
Cyrus performing at the Kids Inaugural: We Are the Future concert in 2009.Cyrus has a Christian faith, and was baptized in a Southern Baptist church in 2005.[18] Cyrus is an avid supporter of gay rights, and is often vocal about her beliefs on the opinion. In 2011, Cyrus got a tattoo with two stripes on her finger, symbolizing equal rights for gays.[216] In 2012, she named London as her favorite place to perform due to its extensive gay scene.[217] Cyrus' song "My Heart Beats for Love", taken from her Can't Be Tamed album, was written about one of Cyrus' gay friends,[218] and is dedicated to all of Cyrus' gay fans.[219] Cyrus has frequently been noted as supporting cannabis, more commonly known as weed. In a video obtained by The Daily, taking place at Cyrus' 19th birthday party at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, Cyrus went to the microphone and addressed the crowd. Immediately after her Bob Marley-themed birthday cake had been brought out, Cyrus said, "You know you're a stoner when your friends make you a Bob Marley cake. You know you smoke way too much fuckin' weed."[220] One week later, Cyrus' representative stated that Cyrus was just being a "smart-ass" and that the Bob Marley cake had just been an "inside joke" with Cyrus and her friends.[221] In December 2010, TMZ released a video of Cyrus, which took place five days after her 18th birthday at her Los Angeles home, in which she is seen smoking from a bong. She claimed she was smoking the psychoactive plant Salvia divinorum, although this has not been confirmed by anybody but Cyrus herself.[222][223][224] Salvia is legal in the state of California, and Cyrus was of legal age at the time the video was shot.[225] Cyrus's father expressed his sadness regarding the matter on Twitter, saying, "Sorry guys. I had no idea. Just saw this stuff for the first time myself. I'm so sad. There is much beyond my control right now".[226][227]
In April 2008, several provocative images of Cyrus in her underwear and swimsuit were leaked onto the Web by a teenager who hacked Cyrus's Gmail account.[228][229][230][231] Cyrus described the images as "silly, inappropriate shots" and stated, "I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect. I never intended for any of this to happen and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone".[232][233] On April 25, 2008, the televised entertainment program Entertainment Tonight reported that Cyrus, then 15, had posed topless for a photoshoot taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair.[234] On April 29, 2008, The New York Times clarified that though the pictures left an impression that she was bare-breasted, Cyrus was wrapped in a bedsheet and was actually not topless.[235] Some parents expressed outrage at the nature of the photograph, which a Disney spokesperson described as "a situation [that] was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines." Gary Marsh, president of entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, was quoted by Portfolio magazine to have said, "For Miley Cyrus to be a 'good girl' is now a business decision for her. Parents have invested in her a godliness. If she violates that trust, she won't get it back."[235] In response to the Internet circulation of the photo and ensuing media attention, Cyrus released a statement of apology on April 27, 2008: "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."[235] Leibovitz also released a statement: "I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful."[235][236] Later in 2010, TMZ released a video of Cyrus, then 16, giving Adam Shankman, producer of The Last Song, a lap dance at the film's wrap party.[237][238][239] Cyrus's father defended her actions, saying Miley was just "having fun" and that "it's what people her age do".[240]
With Cyrus's increased success came increased media attention. In a May 2008 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Francois Navarre, the proprietor of the X17 photo agency, said Cyrus's market value had picked up considerably after the Vanity Fair photo controversy: "She's started to sell more. [...] It used to be $300, and now it's $2,000 for a picture."[241] Estimates for a picture of the then-15 year old's first kiss ranged from $30,000 to $150,000.[241] Navarre noted that Cyrus rarely behaved against her wholesome image or went out without a parent and stated, "She has people waiting for the moment she starts to be less traditional. [...] It's natural. Any teenager. But it's going to come very fast. [...] As soon as her mom lets her go out by herself. It's going to start to be interesting."[241] Time magazine included her on the 2008 Time 100, the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her write-up was written by former child star Donny Osmond, who warned, "As an idol to tweens the world over, singer-actress Miley Cyrus, 15, is riding a huge tidal wave at the pinnacle of her career; this is as it should be. I hope she enjoys it. [...] Within three to five years, Miley will have to face adulthood. [...] As she does, she'll want to change her image, and that change will be met with adversity."[242] At the end of 2009, Billboard magazine ranked Cyrus the fourth best-selling female artist[243] and the fifth best-selling singer overall.[244] Also in 2009, at the age of sixteen, she became the youngest artist to have four number one albums on the charts.[245]
That same year, she launched her film career by appearing as the voice of Penny in the animated film Bolt; she earned a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for her performance of its theme song, "I Thought I Lost You". In 2009, she starred in the feature film Hannah Montana: The Movie. The film's soundtrack introduced Cyrus to audiences within country and adult contemporary markets. It also featured the hit single "The Climb", which went on to become one of Cyrus' most successful singles to date. With the release of her extended play The Time of Our Lives that same year, she began to cultivate an adult image and developed a more mainstream pop sound. It spawned the highly successful single "Party in the U.S.A.", which went on to become Cyrus' highest peaking single on the Billboard Hot 100 to date. Cyrus further adapted a mature image with the release of the film The Last Song and her third studio album, Can't Be Tamed. The album incorporated more dance elements than her previous efforts, and subsequent performances featured a more sexual theme. Following the album's release, Cyrus chose to focus on her film career. In 2011, she appeared in the drama film LOL alongside Demi Moore. The film featured themes of teenage rebellion and saw Cyrus' character using drugs and drinking. LOL received a limited release, and failed to make back its budget. She later appeared in the direct-to-video film So Undercover along with Kelly Osbourne. Cyrus' fourth studio album is scheduled for release in 2013 by RCA Records, and is preceded by lead single "We Can't Stop".
Since her debut, Cyrus has become one of the most successful artists to originate from Disney. Cyrus ranked number thirteen on Forbes' 2010 Celebrity 100.[3] For the 2011 Guinness World Records, she was named the “Most Charted Teenager” following her 29th US Billboard Hot 100 chart entry on November 7, 2009 with “Party in the USA”.[4] She has attained a total of six Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and had five RIAA certified albums by the age of 18.
Contents |
Life and career
1992–2005: Early life and career beginnings
Cyrus grew up on a 500-acre (2.0 km2) farm in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville,[16] and attended Heritage Elementary School.[17] She was raised Christian and was baptized in a Southern Baptist church prior to moving to Hollywood in 2005.[18] She attended church regularly while growing up and wore a purity ring.[19] Several of Cyrus's siblings also eventually entered the entertainment business: Trace became a vocalist and guitarist for the electronic pop band Metro Station,[20] Noah became an actress, and Brandi became a guitarist.[21] In 2001, when Cyrus was eight, she and her family moved to Toronto, Canada while her father filmed the television series Doc.[22] Cyrus said watching her father film the show inspired her to pursue acting. After Billy Ray took her to see a 2001 Mirvish production of Mamma Mia! at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Cyrus grabbed his arm and told him, "This is what I want to do, daddy. I want to be an actress."[23] She began taking singing and acting classes at the Armstrong Acting Studio in Toronto.[24] In her first role, Cyrus played a girl named Kylie on Doc.[8] In 2003, Cyrus was credited under her birth name for her role as "Young Ruthie" in Tim Burton's Big Fish.[25] During this time, she also auditioned with Taylor Lautner for the feature film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D and it came down to her and another actress, but Cyrus started doing Hannah Montana instead.[26]
2006–08: Breakthrough with Hannah Montana and Breakout
As Cyrus' career took off, Tish Cyrus made several critical decisions regarding her daughter's representation. She signed Cyrus with Mitchell Gossett, director of the youth division at Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty. Gossett, who specializes in creating child stars, had arranged for Cyrus's auditions for Hannah Montana and is credited with "discovering" her.[33][34] For Cyrus's music career, Tish followed the advice of Cyrus' godmother, country singer Dolly Parton, and signed Cyrus with Jason Morey of Morey Management Group. "Dolly said the Moreys are people you can trust around your daughter," Tish Cyrus recalls, "and she said they have good morals, which is not always the case in this business."[35] According to trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter, Parton's advice was "the best advice [Tish] could [have gotten] on who should rep her daughter."[35] Tish also recruited Billy Ray's business manager to manage her daughter's finances. Tish herself continues to co-manage or produce many of Cyrus's career decisions.[35] For her education, Cyrus enrolled at Options for Youth Charter Schools[36] and studied with a private tutor on the set of her television show.[37]
The theme song for Hannah Montana, known as "The Best of Both Worlds", was released on March 28, 2006.[38] "The Best of Both Worlds" is credited to "Hannah Montana", the pop star Cyrus portrays on the series by the same name. As with other songs credited to Montana, Cyrus typically dressed as the character when performing the song live.[39] The song became Cyrus' first charting song, when it debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100.[40] The song also had success in countries such as the UK and Ireland, where it peaked at number 43 and 17, respectively.[41][42] Dressed as Hannah Montana, Cyrus opened for The Cheetah Girls on twenty dates of their The Party's Just Begun Tour, beginning on September 15, 2006.[43] On October 24 of same year, Walt Disney Records released the first Hannah Montana soundtrack. Of the nine tracks on the soundtrack performed by Cyrus, eight were credited to "Hannah Montana" and one, a duet with her father titled "I Learned from You", was credited to Cyrus as herself. Cyrus's first release under her own name had been a cover of James Baskett's "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", released on April 4, 2006, on the fourth edition of DisneyMania.[44] The soundtrack immediately proved to be a success, debuting at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 281,000 copies.[45] The album managed, to stay at the top of the chart during it's second week,[46] and went on to sell over 3.7 million copies worldwide.[47] During this time period, Cyrus also released the song "Ready, Set, Don't Go", a collaboration with her father.[48] It became her first Top 40 hit credited as herself, peaking at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.[49] It also became her first Top 10 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at number 4.[50]
The second season of Hannah Montana premiered on April 23, 2007, and ran until October 12, 2008.[51] Shortly afterwards, Cyrus signed a four-album deal with Disney-owned Hollywood Records.[52] On June 26, 2007 Cyrus released the double-disc album Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus.[53] The first disc was the soundtrack to the second season of Hannah Montana, while the second disc served as Cyrus' debut studio album. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 326,000 copies.[54] The album went on to be certified certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[55] The album spawned the single "See You Again", which served as Cyrus' first single as a solo artist. The song quickly became a hit, and became her first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[56] It was eventually certified Platinum in the country, making it her first single to be RIAA certified.[57] The single also had success in countries such as Australia and Canada, where it also peaked inside of the Top 10.[58][59] The album's second single, "Start All Over", was released in early 2008. The single failed to match the success of it's predecessor, debuting and peaking at number 68 on the Hot 100 chart.[60][61] Numerous songs from the Hannah Montana portion of the album charted worldwide following it's release.[62][63][64]
In February 2008, Cyrus and her friend Mandy Jiroux opened a YouTube account and began posting videos of what they called The Miley and Mandy Show. The show, described as a "YouTube hit", is said to be filmed for fun by Cyrus and Jiroux and to be entirely their work, with Cyrus and Jiroux editing the footage together.[71] In May 2008, Gossett, Cyrus's longtime acting agent, left Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty for United Talent Agency, partially with the hope of "giving Cyrus the major-agency backing that would support a widening career", according to The Hollywood Reporter.[35][72] About a year later in June 2009, Cyrus left both Gossett and UTA, which had recently negotiated her deals for The Last Song and the fourth season of Hannah Montana, and joined the Creative Artists Agency, which had already represented her for music.[73] Nikki Finke, who broke the news, reported, "Is this fair to UTA? Of course not. But I hear the decision was made by Miley's mother Trish [sic] Cyrus".[74] Cyrus celebrated her 16th birthday at Disneyland with a charity fundraiser for Youth Service America, a youth volunteer service organization.[75][76][77]
On July 22, 2008, Cyrus released her second studio album under her own name, titled Breakout. Cyrus said Breakout was inspired by "what's been going on in my life in the past year."[60] Cyrus co-wrote eight out of twelve songs on the album.[60] "Songwriting is what I really want to do with my life forever, [...] I just hope this record showcases that, more than anything, I'm a writer."[78] Breakout debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 371,000 copies.[79] This made it Cyrus' highest first week sales to date, and gave Cyrus her third number one album on the chart. The album went on to receive a Platinum certification from the RIAA, denoting sales of one million copies.[55] Breakout was preceded by the lead single "7 Things", which became her second single to reach the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.[61][80] The album's second single, "Fly on the Wall", failed to have the same success, peaking at number 84 on the Hot 100.[81] It was, however, successful in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 16 on the singles chart.[42] Cyrus hosted the 2008 CMT Music Awards with her father in April[82] and the 2008 Teen Choice Awards by herself in August.[83] In 2008, Cyrus provided the voice of Penny in the 2008 computer-animated film Bolt, which was released on November 21, 2008, to critical acclaim.[84] Cyrus also co-wrote and recorded the song "I Thought I Lost You" as a duet with John Travolta for the film, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.[85]
2009–12: Can't Be Tamed and focus on film career
In 2009, Cyrus launched her first clothing line with Max Azria, which was sold exclusively at Wal Mart.[98][99] To promote the clothing line, Cyrus released her first extended play, The Time of Our Lives on August 31, 2009.[100] Cyrus said The Time of Our Lives "is a transitioning album. [...] really to introduce people to what I want my next record to sound like and with time I will be able to do that a little more."[101] The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 62,000 copies.[102] The following week, however, the album rose to number 2 on the chart, selling 153,000 copies.[103] "Party in the U.S.A.", the album's lead single, debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, making it her highest charting single to date.[104] To promote the album, Cyrus embarked on the Wonder World Tour. The tour proved to be critically and commercially successful, grossing over $67.1 million worldwide.[105] On December 7, 2009, Cyrus performed for Queen Elizabeth II and numerous other members of the British Royal Family at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, North West England.[106]
Cyrus had already begun transitioning to a more grown-up image in late 2008, when her representatives negotiated a deal for novelist Nicholas Sparks to write the screenplay and novel basis for a film that would serve as a star vehicle for Cyrus by introducing her to audiences older than the young fans she had gained through Hannah Montana.[107] Sparks and co-writer Jeff Van Wie developed The Last Song.[107] It was important to Cyrus that she not be type cast as a singer: "I didn't want to be a singer in another film. I don't want to do that anymore. You have no idea how many musicals show up on my door. I want to do something a little more serious."[108] Production on The Last Song lasted from June 15, 2009, to August 18, 2009.[109] Cyrus starred in The Last Song, which was released on March 31, 2010 and received generally poor reviews, as did Cyrus's performance.[110] Nonetheless, the film was commercially successful, grossing more than $88 million at the worldwide box office.[111] According to box-office analyst Exhibitor Relations, the film marked "a successful transition to adult roles for Miley Cyrus."[112] Before leaving to work on the film, Cyrus ended her nine-month relationship with model Justin Gaston.[113] While filming later that month, Cyrus began dating her co-star in The Last Song, Australian actor Liam Hemsworth.[114] She later called him her "first serious boyfriend".[115] Though the couple initially broke up shortly after the film's release,[116][117] they later reconciled.[118] During this time period, production on the fourth and final season of Hannah Montana began.[119] The fourth and final season began airing on Disney Channel on July 11, 2010, and concluded on January 16, 2011.[120]
Following the release of Can't Be Tamed, Cyrus confirmed she would be taking a break from her music career, opting rather to focus on acting.[131] She commented, "I've not taken, like, acting lessons or anything, but it doesn't mean I don't need to because I'm sure I do [...] I'm probably going to go book an acting coach."[132] She later confirmed she would not be going to college for the time being, stating "I'm a firm believer that you can go back at any age you want, because my Grandma went back to college at 62 [...] For right now, I really want to focus on my career. I've worked hard to get to where I am now, and I want to enjoy it while it lasts."[133][134][135] Cyrus hosted Saturday Night Live on March 5, 2011, where she performed in several sketches.[136][137] She later made an appearance on the MTV series Punk'd, appearing alongside Kelly Osbourne and Khloé Kardashian.[138][139] In 2012, Cyrus appeared in the film LOL, starring alongside Demi Moore.[140] Cyrus portrayed Lola,[141] a teenage girl who experiments with drinking, drugs, and various sexual acts.[142] The film received a limited release, and was critically and commercially unsuccessful.[143] Cyrus later starred in the comedy film So Undercover, appearing as an FBI agent who is required to go undercover at a college sorority.[144] The film was released direct-to-video in the United States on February 5, 2013.[145] It was also reported on August 2, 2011, by Contact Music that Cyrus has signed on to star in a comedy in which she plays a woman who broke a promise to God; the film has yet to be released.[146]
In 2012, Cyrus recorded a cover of the Bob Dylan song "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go". Cyrus' version was featured on the tribute album Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International.[147] Cyrus's version of the song earned positive reviews from music critics.[148][149][150] Beginning in 2012, Cyrus recorded various performances of herself doing covers classic songs.[151] She uploaded these performances onto video sharing website YouTube throughout the summer and fall of 2012. It was later announced that Cyrus would star the film Family Bond, portraying a girl who meets her spy father in an attempt to save her kidnapped mother. The film, distributed by Universal Pictures, is slated for release in 2013.[152] That same year, Cyrus made a guest appearance in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, appearing in two episodes as Missi, the girlfriend of character Jake Harper.[153][154] Cyrus signed on to star as Marvis in the animated film Hotel Transylvania,[155] but later dropped out to pursue her music career.[156][157] On June 6, 2012, Cyrus announced that she and Hemsworth were engaged. He proposed on May 31 with a 3.5-carat diamond ring.[158]
2013: Fourth studio album
Cyrus announced plans to release her fourth studio album beginning in 2012. The album features production from various artists including Pharrell Williams and Hit-Boy.[159] Billboard announced in January 2013 that Cyrus had signed with RCA Records, and also confirmed the album would be released in 2013.[160] On March 5, 2013, it was announced that Cyrus had hired Larry Rudolph as her manager; Rudolph had previous worked with pop singer Britney Spears.[161] Whilst working on the album, Cyrus appeared in various collaborations. She provided guest vocals for the Rock Mafia song "Morning Sun", and provided background vocals for the song "Decisions" by Borgore.[162] Cyrus and Hemsworth later appeared in the music video for the song.[163] Cyrus appeared on the Snoop Lion song "Ashtrays & Heartbreaks", released as a single for his Reincarnated album on April 4, 2013.[164] She later appeared on the song "Fall Down",[165] which was released as the fourth single for will.i.am's album #willpower on April 16, 2013.[166] The single debuted at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Cyrus' first single to chart on the Hot 100 since her 2010 single "Can't Be Tamed".[167] The single also debuted inside the Top 20 in Canada,[168] as well as the Top 40 in the UK.[169] On May 23, it was confirmed that Cyrus would be featured on the Mike Will Made It single "23", alongside artists Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J.[170] On June 3, Cyrus released "We Can't Stop", the lead single to her forthcoming album.[171][172] Within 10 hours of its release, the song topped the iTunes singles charts in 24 countries, including the United States, and top five in 16 other countries.[173] With the song's entry, Cyrus scores her 39th Hot 100 entry, although in many of those she sung as Hannah Montana. The music video for the song was released on June 19, 2013. Later in June, Cyrus released a 5 second snippet of an upcoming track on her fourth studio album entitled "Last Goodbye". The snippet includes the lyrics "I know you’re going to want me to come home for a last goodbye" which caused many rumours about the song being written about her fiancé Liam Hemsworth. [174]Artistry
Musical style
The music taken from the soundtrack of the Hannah Montana movie features a more Country themed sound, in conjunction with the film's plot.[184][185] The song "Hoedown Throwdown" taken from the film is noted as combining influences of R&B and Country.[185] "The Climb" has solid, clear vocals and is a standard-issue power ballad that places piano solos between chiming electric guitars.[186] With the release of Cyrus' 2009 album The Time of Our Lives, Cyrus incorporated a mixture of elements into the songs. "Kicking and Screaming" features instrumentation that relies on glam electric guitar riffing.[187] It is noted as being the most prominent representation of rock music on The Time of Our Lives. The song "Party In the U.S.A." features a mixture of R&B and pop music,[188] while the album's title track is described as being a bouncy, dance-pop song characterized by 1980s synths[189] and a fizzy sound caused by a bubblegum pop background.[187] While recording her third studio album, Cyrus stated she hoped it would be her last pop album as she "wasn't inspired" by her music.[190] She later announced plans for a new, rock inclined sound for future albums.[101] The music featured on Can't Be Tamed is often noted as being of the dance genre and heavily relies on bass.[191] Cyrus herself later claimed the album contained music influenced by pop singer Lady Gaga and possessed techno qualities.[192] When speaking of her fourth studio album, Cyrus stated she felt the album had a "dirty south" feel,[193] and stated she had collaborated with many rappers for a hip-hop vibe.[194] She later elaborated that the album would combine the genres of hip-hop and Country, which she felt was a "good hybrid."[195]
Voice and performances
In his review of the Best of Both Worlds tour, J. Freedom du Lac of The Washington Post described the concert as "a nearly 90-minute blast of pop in which the charismatic Cyrus – who complained that she wasn't feeling well – commanded the stage with confidence, performing with a particular swagger."[208] The performances featured on Cyrus' Wonder World Tour showed more dramatic performances; at one point, Cyrus performed on top of moving scaffolding.[209] When performing a cover of "I Love Rock & Roll" on the tour, Cyrus performed the song suspended in the air atop of a Harley-Davidson Dyna Fat Bob FXDF 2010 that traveled through the air.[210] Beginning with the release of The Time of Our Lives, Cyrus' performances became somewhat more explicit and controversial in nature. Cyrus's performance of "Party in the U.S.A." at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards incited a media uproar, with some viewers criticizing Cyrus's provocative outfit and inclusion of a brief pole dance as inappropriate for her age, then sixteen, and for her young fans.[211][212] Conversely, Newsday reported that her sexualization "has been coming for some time."[213] Ian Drew, senior editor of US Weekly, said, "She already has this risque image, so it really wasn't much of a stretch. That's how Britney [Spears] took off. She was the good girl gone bad, and it looks to be working for Miley as well."[213] Her performance of Can't Be Tamed on Britain's Got Talent garnered much controversy. Midway through the performance, Cyrus grabbed a female backup dancer, dipping her low, and simulated a kiss.[214] The performance was met with negative reactions from the media and caused her to release a statement in which Cyrus promised she did not kiss the backup dancer.[215] Cyrus wrote, "It is ridiculous that two entertainers can’t even rock out with each other without the media making it some type of story. I really hope my fans are not disappointed in me because the truth is I did nothing wrong. I got up there and did my job which is to perform to the best of my ability."[215]
Personal life
In April 2008, several provocative images of Cyrus in her underwear and swimsuit were leaked onto the Web by a teenager who hacked Cyrus's Gmail account.[228][229][230][231] Cyrus described the images as "silly, inappropriate shots" and stated, "I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect. I never intended for any of this to happen and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone".[232][233] On April 25, 2008, the televised entertainment program Entertainment Tonight reported that Cyrus, then 15, had posed topless for a photoshoot taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair.[234] On April 29, 2008, The New York Times clarified that though the pictures left an impression that she was bare-breasted, Cyrus was wrapped in a bedsheet and was actually not topless.[235] Some parents expressed outrage at the nature of the photograph, which a Disney spokesperson described as "a situation [that] was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines." Gary Marsh, president of entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, was quoted by Portfolio magazine to have said, "For Miley Cyrus to be a 'good girl' is now a business decision for her. Parents have invested in her a godliness. If she violates that trust, she won't get it back."[235] In response to the Internet circulation of the photo and ensuing media attention, Cyrus released a statement of apology on April 27, 2008: "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."[235] Leibovitz also released a statement: "I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful."[235][236] Later in 2010, TMZ released a video of Cyrus, then 16, giving Adam Shankman, producer of The Last Song, a lap dance at the film's wrap party.[237][238][239] Cyrus's father defended her actions, saying Miley was just "having fun" and that "it's what people her age do".[240]
With Cyrus's increased success came increased media attention. In a May 2008 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Francois Navarre, the proprietor of the X17 photo agency, said Cyrus's market value had picked up considerably after the Vanity Fair photo controversy: "She's started to sell more. [...] It used to be $300, and now it's $2,000 for a picture."[241] Estimates for a picture of the then-15 year old's first kiss ranged from $30,000 to $150,000.[241] Navarre noted that Cyrus rarely behaved against her wholesome image or went out without a parent and stated, "She has people waiting for the moment she starts to be less traditional. [...] It's natural. Any teenager. But it's going to come very fast. [...] As soon as her mom lets her go out by herself. It's going to start to be interesting."[241] Time magazine included her on the 2008 Time 100, the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her write-up was written by former child star Donny Osmond, who warned, "As an idol to tweens the world over, singer-actress Miley Cyrus, 15, is riding a huge tidal wave at the pinnacle of her career; this is as it should be. I hope she enjoys it. [...] Within three to five years, Miley will have to face adulthood. [...] As she does, she'll want to change her image, and that change will be met with adversity."[242] At the end of 2009, Billboard magazine ranked Cyrus the fourth best-selling female artist[243] and the fifth best-selling singer overall.[244] Also in 2009, at the age of sixteen, she became the youngest artist to have four number one albums on the charts.[245]
Earnings
In 2007, Cyrus earned $18 million. In 2008, Cyrus earned $25 million and was ranked number 35 on Forbes magazine's Celebrity 100 list.[246] Parade magazine reported she was the richest teenage celebrity and that her franchise would be worth approximately $1 billion by the end of the year.[247] In 2009, Forbes ranked her #29 on the Celebrity 100 and reported she had earned a total of $25 million.[248] In 2010, Cyrus was ranked 13th on Forbes' Celebrity 100, earning $48 million[3] from June 2009 to June 2010. She was the 4th highest earner under 30 years old and the youngest on the list.[249] Between June 2010 and June 2011, Cyrus earned $54 million.[250] From working on Hannah Montana, Cyrus was paid $15,000 per episode, making her the 6th highest paid child star on television, behind fellow Disney stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse and Keke Palmer with $20,000 for their shows.[251] At age 17 she was named #19 on the "Top 20 World's Richest Female Singers Of All Time" list, with over $100 million in five years active throughout her career, which made her the youngest female artist on the list.[252] In 2011, she was named #1 on the Top 10 Richest Teens in Hollywood, with $120 million.[253]Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Big Fish | Young Ruthie – Age 8 | Credited as Destiny Cyrus |
| 2007 | High School Musical 2 | Girl at Pool | Television film |
| 2008 | Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert | Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana | |
| 2008 | Bolt | Penny | Voice |
| 2009 | Hannah Montana: The Movie | Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana | |
| 2010 | The Last Song | Veronica "Ronnie" Miller | Lead Role |
| 2010 | Sex and the City 2 | Herself | Cameo |
| 2011 | Justin Bieber: Never Say Never | Herself | Cameo |
| 2012 | LOL | Lola Williams | Lead Role |
| 2012 | So Undercover | Molly Morris | Lead Role |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Doc | Kylie | 3 episodes |
| 2006–2011 | Hannah Montana | Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana/Luann Stewart | Lead Role; 98 episodes |
| 2006 | The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart | 1 episode |
| 2007 | The Replacements | Celebrity Starr | 1 episode |
| 2007 | The Emperor's New School | Mudka's Meat Hut Waitress (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2009 | The Suite Life On Deck | Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart | 1 episode |
| 2011 | Saturday Night Live | Host | 1 episode |
| 2012 | Punk'd | Punker | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Two and a Half Men | Missi | 2 episodes |
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