From Hannah Montana to Grammy Award Winner: Miley Cyrus Transforms Her Disney Career into a Global Music Phenomenon
It has truly been a climb for Miley Cyrus. We've watched her build a remarkable career and supported her through her toughest moments. Now, she’s being honored as a Disney Legend, making history as the youngest entertainer ever to receive this honor. Pop Culture Planet writer Makkedah Ramsey takes us through her career, highlighting some of her best moments and showing us how she transitioned from Hannah Montana to the powerhouse singer, songwriter, and actress she is today.
Remember the debut that started it all? "You get the limo out front (oh-whoa)."
Cyrus was just 13 year dols when she stepped into the shoes of Miley Stewart in 2006, catapulting her to a level of fame that few could dream of. The show, centered around a young artist living the best of both worlds by hiding her identity to keep her life ordinary, also featured her real-life father Billy Ray Cyrus as her on-screen dad Billy Ray Stewart. The soundtrack for the show was a huge success, selling 3.7 million copies and paving the way for 2007's Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus, which allowed Cyrus to introduce herself to the world outside of her character. This success led to the Best of Both Worlds Tour, which sold out in record time and resulted in an epic 3-D concert film. It was a cultural moment, one that many of us, myself included, remember fondly with our Hannah Montana shirts and 3-D cups. Cyrus has truly grown alongside us and we with her.
Soon after Hannah Montana: The Movie was a box office hit, bringing in more than $79 million, and was followed up by The Last Song, which she starred in alongside Liam Hemsworth. The end of an era came in 2010 when the iconic blonde wig was retired, and "Wherever I Go" marked the end of Hannah Montana. But Cyrus was just getting started.
But Miley Cyrus isn’t just Hannah Montana — she is an artist in her own right. Her second studio album Breakout became a significant hit. The lead single "7 Things" was rumored to be about fellow Disney star Nick Jonas, but it also one of Cyrus’s best song till this date. The EP that followed brought us anthems like "Party in the U.S.A." and "When I Look at You," with "Party in the U.S.A." still echoing across airwaves.
Cyrus is not only a wonderful artist, but an icon who does it all. In 2012, she released two movies: the coming-of-age film LOL, a personal favorite of mine, and So Undercover, where she plays a private investigator.
Post-Hannah Montana, Cyrus reinvented herself, unveiling a new look and musical direction that stunned fans at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards with "We Can't Stop." Her fourth studio album Bangerz featured the powerful "Wrecking Ball," which topped the charts and snagged the Video of the Year award at the 2014 VMAs.
In 2015, she released Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, one of her best-reviewed albums, showcasing her exploration of different musical styles and themes of psychedelia.
She served as a judge on The Voice for seasons 11 and 13, becoming one of the youngest stars to ever serve as a coach. Then in 2017, she released Younger Now, an album that marked a complete departure from her previous work, celebrating her roots and exploring themes of rebirth and freedom. Jumping to 2020, she released Plastic Hearts, which reached #2 on the Billboard Top 200.
In 2023, she released "Flowers," which quickly rose to the top as her second No. 1 hit song, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks. Following this triumph, she unveiled her eighth studio album Endless Summer Vacation. Cyrus was honored with six Grammy nominations and emerged victorious, clinching two Grammys at the 66th annual Grammy Awards for "Flowers" for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
Being honored as a Disney Legend makes perfect sense for Cyrus. She has grown up in the public eye and her music has chronicled the many phases of her identity, telling her story as honestly, loudly, organically, and authentically as possible. This recognition allows fans to connect with the woman she has become, not just the girl they thought she was. From Hannah Montana to Miley Cyrus, it's been a beautiful journey for this passionate artist.
Cyrus will be honored with 13 other entertainers at the Disney Legends Award Ceremony scheduled for August 11 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
