Rise to Fame
She auditioned for the supporting role on Hannah Montana, won the lead instead, and spent the next five years becoming one of the most recognizable faces Disney had ever built. By 23, she was methodically burning it down. The 2013 VMAs performance and the Wrecking Ball video weren't accidents. The Disney package was the problem, and she solved it the only way that made sense: by making the problem impossible to ignore.
In the Spotlight
"Flowers" did something her entire catalog couldn't: it got her taken seriously. The song spent 8 weeks at #1 and beat Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Billie Eilish for Record of the Year at the 2024 Grammys, her first win after two decades and exactly two prior nominations in her career. She has said it was the first time she felt "actually taken seriously" there, which is a strange thing to say when you've been famous since 13. Something Beautiful followed in 2025, alongside a musical film she co-wrote and co-directed. She told Billboard she has no interest in a world tour.
Side Notes
Her godmother is Dolly Parton, which feels less like a coincidence and more like a head start. She was born Destiny Hope Cyrus and legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus in 2008, with 'Ray' honoring her grandfather. Her signature raspy voice comes from Reinke's edema, a chronic vocal condition she revealed in 2025 and described as 'abuse of the vocal cords.' Before any of that, Billy Ray paid her $10 to collect the underwear fans threw on stage at his concerts.