Miley Cyrus, one of pop music's most enduring and evolving superstars, recently offered a candid reflection on the intensely scrutinized period of her career that followed her departure from the Disney Channel, suggesting she may have been one of the first figures to experience what is now widely termed "cancel culture."
In a preview clip from an upcoming interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the "Flowers" singer looked back on the immense backlash she faced as she shed her wholesome Hannah Montana persona for the provocative and boundary-pushing image associated with her 2013 album, Bangerz.
"I was the first person to maybe ever be canceled, I guess," said Cyrus.
The controversial shift was marked by headline-making moments, most famously her twerking-filled performance with Robin Thicke at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, the nude-on-a-wrecking-ball music video, and her experimentation with hip-hop and R&B elements, which drew accusations of cultural appropriation.
A 'Good Time' She Didn't Realize Was 'Brutal'
Cyrus, now in her early 30s, admitted that the full weight of the criticism didn't hit her at the time.
"I didn't know until I was older, actually, how brutal it really was, 'cause it was very, I guess, you know, challenging for other people," she continued. "But for me, it was a good time. It looked fun, and it was fun."
It was only later that she gained the perspective to understand the harshness of the public's judgment.
She noted that she wouldn't "ever look at someone in their 20s from the view of who I am now."
The backlash had a profound effect on her personal life, too, as she's previously spoken about how the public scrutiny strained her familial and romantic relationships during that tumultuous period.
The Impact of the 'Bangerz' Era
The Bangerz album was a pivotal, transformative moment.
It was her first body of work after leaving Hollywood Records, and it successfully cemented her transition from a beloved child star to a mature, chart-topping global artist in her own right.
Despite the controversies, the album was a critical and commercial success, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album and spawning massive hits like "Wrecking Ball," which became her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and "We Can't Stop."
The era, with its radical change in public image, created a cultural flashpoint that defined a generation of pop stardom.
Today, a decade later, her self-reflection highlights a critical shift in how the public and media engage with celebrities, marking the Bangerz era as a precursor to the modern, constant digital scrutiny that can rapidly lead to a public downfall—or "cancellation."
Did you know?
In a 2017 interview, Cyrus reflected on the public's perception of her at the time, stating she "carried some guilt and shame around myself for years because of how much controversy and upset I really caused."
However, she later realized she was "harshly judged as a child by adults."
Looking back at the intense scrutiny Miley Cyrus faced in her early 20s, do you think today's "cancel culture" offers public figures more or less room to grow and evolve? Share your thoughts on this complex topic in the comments!
In a preview clip from an upcoming interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the "Flowers" singer looked back on the immense backlash she faced as she shed her wholesome Hannah Montana persona for the provocative and boundary-pushing image associated with her 2013 album, Bangerz.
"I was the first person to maybe ever be canceled, I guess," said Cyrus.
The controversial shift was marked by headline-making moments, most famously her twerking-filled performance with Robin Thicke at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, the nude-on-a-wrecking-ball music video, and her experimentation with hip-hop and R&B elements, which drew accusations of cultural appropriation.
A 'Good Time' She Didn't Realize Was 'Brutal'
Cyrus, now in her early 30s, admitted that the full weight of the criticism didn't hit her at the time.
"I didn't know until I was older, actually, how brutal it really was, 'cause it was very, I guess, you know, challenging for other people," she continued. "But for me, it was a good time. It looked fun, and it was fun."
It was only later that she gained the perspective to understand the harshness of the public's judgment.
She noted that she wouldn't "ever look at someone in their 20s from the view of who I am now."
The backlash had a profound effect on her personal life, too, as she's previously spoken about how the public scrutiny strained her familial and romantic relationships during that tumultuous period.
The Impact of the 'Bangerz' Era
The Bangerz album was a pivotal, transformative moment.
It was her first body of work after leaving Hollywood Records, and it successfully cemented her transition from a beloved child star to a mature, chart-topping global artist in her own right.
Despite the controversies, the album was a critical and commercial success, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album and spawning massive hits like "Wrecking Ball," which became her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and "We Can't Stop."
The era, with its radical change in public image, created a cultural flashpoint that defined a generation of pop stardom.
Today, a decade later, her self-reflection highlights a critical shift in how the public and media engage with celebrities, marking the Bangerz era as a precursor to the modern, constant digital scrutiny that can rapidly lead to a public downfall—or "cancellation."
Did you know?
In a 2017 interview, Cyrus reflected on the public's perception of her at the time, stating she "carried some guilt and shame around myself for years because of how much controversy and upset I really caused."
However, she later realized she was "harshly judged as a child by adults."
Looking back at the intense scrutiny Miley Cyrus faced in her early 20s, do you think today's "cancel culture" offers public figures more or less room to grow and evolve? Share your thoughts on this complex topic in the comments!
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