Miley Cyrus Through The Years: See Her Transformation From Disney Star To Pop Songstress

Miley Cyrus has transformed from Disney starlet to boundary-pushing pop music artist. In honor of her new song ‘Used To Be Young,’ we’re taking a look back at the singer’s remarkable transformation!

Miley Cyrus, 30, has definitely gone through quite a transformation to become the woman she is today. For a portion of her life, Miley grew up in front of everyone’s eyes in the middle of the spotlight. But as she’s gotten older, she has cultivated her own place in pop culture, one that is completely unattainable by any other star! Miley reflected on “wild” moments in her past in her new song “Used To Be Young” which dropped August 25. We’re taking a look back at Miley’s incredible transformation from Disney starlet to boundary-pushing pop music artist.

Miley’s journey to super-stardom began when she earned the role of Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel original series Hannah Montana. From 2006-2011 Miley played the titular role of a young girl leading two different lives: one as a pop star and the other as a normal, teenage girl. Miley reprised the role for her big screen debut in the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie. But after years wearing the blonde wig, Miley was ready to show her fans that she couldn’t be tamed.

In 2010, Miley released the song “Can’t Be Tamed” from the album of the same name released in May of that year. The song was a major departure from Miley’s sheltered persona on the Disney TV show, and announced her entrance as a teen on the music scene. It was also the same year Miley took on a more mature role in movies, starring alongside her future husband Liam Hemsworth in the film The Last Song.

By 2013, the singer and actress was wholly embracing her new chapter in life. 2013 ushered in the Bangerz era, which featured Miley dancing, doing recreational drugs, and more completely unapologetically. Singles from the album included “Adore You,” “We Can’t Stop,” and “Wrecking Ball,” among others. The music video’s for the songs also highlighted some of the more viral moments from Miley’s career.

It seemed, however, that by the latter half of the 2010s Miley was ready to start writing a new chapter. In 2018, she married her longtime love, Liam, and began working on new music. She also became incredibly philanthropic, devoting her time to the Happy Hippie Foundation, founded in 2014, which seeks to support LGBTQIA+ homeless youth. Miley, herself, has been open about her identity as a pansexual woman in the past. This all came post-2017, when Miley released her most recent album Younger Now.

By 2019, however, Miley and Liam decided to split once and for all. Around the time she released her song “Slide Away” in August 2019, the couple announced their divorce, finalized in January 2020, and Miley began a whirlwind relationship with Kaitlynn Carter that lasted from August to September. After her time with Kaitlynn, Miley dated singer Cody Simpson from 2019 to 2020. She’s been in a relationship with Maxx Morando, 24, since 2021.

Miley released her eighth album, Endless Summer Vacation, in March 2023. The album featured the hit single “Flowers” which was about Miley’s split from Liam. Miley followed up the album with the released of her song “Used To Be Young” in Aug. 2023. Miley sings about the times she was “crazy” and “fun” before maturing into the woman she is today.