Miley Cyrus

“I think there’s a time in every artist’s life [when] they have to do something that isn’t for fans, isn’t for success, isn’t for touring,” Miley Cyrus once told Apple Music. Cyrus could have been speaking about any number of moments from her profoundly varied career. Born Destiny Hope Cyrus—the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus—in Tennessee in 1992, the innovative artist leaped to stardom as Disney’s Hannah Montana on the strength of perky, empowering bubblegum pop. Since then, Cyrus has worked hard to shed her wholesome teen image, securing a reputation for an intense work ethic and an unshakable self-assuredness. Her 2009 summer anthem “Party In the U.S.A.” earned her credibility in the pop world, while 2013’s Bangerz—which showcased her musical maturity with “Wrecking Ball” and experimented with elements of Dirty South hip-hop—made her an icon. Cyrus headed to other fields with 2015’s Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, a psych-tinged collaboration with members of The Flaming Lips; 2017’s Younger Now, a countrified pop offering that featured godmother Dolly Parton; and 2020’s Plastic Hearts, a neon-hued explosion of disco, synth-pop and glam rock that features rockers Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks. Those frequent partnerships helped cement her as a pop pace-setter—but on the 2023 smash “Flowers”, a highlight of the breezy Endless Summer Vacation, Cyrus declared her independence and confidently reaffirmed that she’s more than capable of standing on her own.