By Jessica Martinez
Staff Writer
Miley Cyrus shows us she is no longer the
Hannah Montana we grew up with.
Miley Cyrus has been no stranger to the public eye since she skyrocketed to fame by starring on the Disney Channel’s hit television show, “Hannah Montana.” Lately, Cyrus is hardly recognizable as that same girl. Once “Hannah Montana” wrapped up, Cyrus laid low for a while before her big comeback this past summer. It all began with her now infamous short, blonde ‘do, which was only the beginning of a total makeover for the star. It seems as if not a day has gone by that Cyrus’s name hasn’t been mentioned in the headlines since her shocking MTV Video Music Awards performance in August. Cyrus made even more headlines when she released the music video for her single, “Wrecking Ball,” in which she appears completely nude. A few days later, Cyrus broke off her engagement to Liam Hemsworth. Recently, she’s appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone, performed at the iHeartRadio music festival and hosted “Saturday Night Live.” Hate her or love her, Cyrus has proven she’s here to stay.
First off, I’ve been a fan of Cyrus since day one. I think she is extremely talented, more so than people would like to admit. Cyrus has so much charisma and energy, for me, it’s practically palpable through the television. She’s one of the last great performers that Disney launched to superstardom. It’s obvious she has always been eager to shed the squeaky-clean image that Disney wanted her to have, and I think that fans that have remained loyal to her continue to do so because she’s real. It’s hard enough being a teenager, but imagine trying to grow up while the world criticizes your every mistake. I feel that she’s always tried to be open about who she really is, and I commend her for that.
Bill Werde, editorial director at Billboard, said in an interview with USA Today, “People really underestimate the depth, breadth and legitimacy of the connection Miley has with her fans. Most of them have grown up with her.”
There have been times when I thought to myself, “Okay, Miley, we get it. You’re not Hannah Montana anymore. You are an adult. You don’t have to keep trying so hard to prove it anymore.” Now, I realize that this is who she is really is. Her behavior isn’t much different from other people her age. The only difference is that she is being broadcasted all over the media. She’s young, rich and beautiful: she’s just taking advantage of the life she’s been given.
Miley is declaring her independence and artistic expression, but also may be out of control
Tom Corson, the president of Cyrus’s label, RCA Records, said to USA Today, “This is someone who is of-the-moment, living her lifestyle and sharing it in a world defined by Twitter and Facebook. She’s very connected to her fan base, and that’s a huge marketing driver in this day and age. When you put great star power behind it, great things can happen.”
Cyrus’s parents, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus, have always openly spoken about supporting their daughter in anything she does.
In an interview with ET’s Nancy O’Dell on Oct. 7, Billy Ray said, “All I know for sure is I heard my daughter say today she’s the happiest she’s ever been in her life. . . Somewhere along the stress and strain of different things, I didn’t see her smiling as often for a little while and, all of a sudden she’s like the sun and when she smiles it’s light… Everything happens for a reason and the main thing for me, as Miley’s daddy, is she’s happy.”
Because she grew up in a loving and supporting home, I think everything Cyrus has done up to this point is simply because she is a performer, not a train wreck. Whatever she’s doing, it’s working, because we keep watching, and we keep talking about it. I’m sure she’s a hell of a lot smarter than she lets on.
In her recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Cyrus said, “Times are changing. I think there’s a generation or two left, and then it’s gonna be a whole new world.”
I think society will continue to watch every move Cyrus makes simply because we all really want to know where she’s going to end up. Will she ruin her life with drugs and alcohol and become another child-star-gone-wrong joke, or will people eventually take her seriously as a grown-up artist? Only time will tell. I’m eager to see what the future brings for Cyrus. Her new album, “Bangerz,” released on Oct. 8, and I hope this new chapter in her life brings nothing but good things for Cyrus.
