Credit: Miley Cyrus, Instagram/Buzzing Pop, XFor years, Miley Cyrus was the darling of The Walt Disney Company. Her Disney Channel show, Hannah Montana, brought in millions of viewers and millions in merchandise sales. Her music was at the top of the charts, and young girls around the world would wait for hours just for the chance to purchase tickets to one of her concerts.
However, as she got older, the actress-singer decided that she wanted to break out of the Disney bubble. She wanted to show people that she was growing up and that she was her own woman. That decision led to Cyrus alienating some of her fan base, since parents felt she was no longer an appropriate role model for their kids.
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In 2009, Cyrus performed at the Teen Choice Awards, and to this day, it remains one of her most controversial moments to date. During the show, Cyrus performed her hit song “Party in the USA”. She climbed up onto an ice cream cart and continued to dance. Fans were shocked, with many thinking the performance looked too sexual and was completely inappropriate.
Miley was just seventeen when she performed her controversial dance, and now, 15 years later, she is finally opening up about what happened, and the crucial role that her mother played in the performance.
Related: Billy Ray Cyrus Faces Intense Backlash After Posting About Daughter Miley
Miley recently sat down with her sister Brandi for Spotify’s Billions Club series and said that her mom was behind the dance, but then let Miley take all the heat and deal with all the backlash.
“Do you know whose idea that was?”
“Yup, that was my mom’s idea. So she always lets me take the blame. When I got in trouble the next day, you know who was nowhere to be found? Tish Cyrus.”
Thankfully, Miley is able to look back on that moment and smile, mainly because she no longer thinks about the controversy surrounding it. Instead, she thinks about how it was the first time she got to wear real diamonds.
“The thing that I remember most about that performance was it was the first time I ever wore real diamond jewelry on stage. So you guys remember a little old ice cream truck, I remember the diamonds.”
She also appears to have, for the most part, forgiven her mom, Tish, for what she did. Miley and her mother became incredibly close when Tish filed for divorce from Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, in 2022. The divorce was not an easy one, and many of the children took sides, with Miley reportedly choosing her mother’s.
Related: Miley Cyrus Says Father Billy Ray is “Dead” to Her After Disgusting Comments
Since the split, Miley’s relationship with her father has gone from good to non-existent. Earlier this year, audio was leaked to the press and the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer could be heard calling his daughter the “devil” and a “skank.”
The audio was released just as Billy Ray was in the middle of a contentious divorce from his much younger third wife, Australian singer Firerose. The 37-year-old singer has accused Billy Ray of being abusive during their marriage, and the tapes seem to support that.
Despite their strained relationship, Billy Ray did recently wish his daughter a happy birthday on Instagram.
Does it surprise you that Miley Cyrus’s mother was the person behind her controversial pole dance? Do you think child stars should have more protections? Share your thoughts in the comments!