No one could deny that Miley Cyrus has definitely had her fair share in the limelight these past months. With the public wrapped around her fingertips, nothing she does goes unnoticed. Some of her highly controversial performances include “Blurred Lines” alongside Robin Thicke at the 2013 VMAs, as well as the releases of her singles “We Can’t Stop” and “Wrecking Ball”. Without a doubt, the twenty year-old artist has suffered a great deal of hate. But when it comes down to it, does Miley really deserve it all?
Many critics wonder where Hannah Montana went or wish for Miss Montana to come back. People constantly ask, “Where’d Hannah go?” or “What happened to Hannah Montana?”. Yes, the new Miley is a bit more spunky and bold than she was during her Disney Channel days. But one must keep in mind that Miley started the show when she was just thirteen years old, barely a teenager, and that she will only be twenty-one next month. Seven years is a long time- people change. And the same is definitely true during those dramatic, memorable, and crazy teenage years. Between the ages of thirteen and twenty, people grow up and find their true selves. Their interests change and their personalities mature. So to answer critics’ question, Hannah Montana simply grew up. She won’t be back. Everyone grows up and changes; the only difference is Miley’s changes have been documented worldwide on television and deeply analyzed by millions of people (and maybe are a teeny bit wild).
Not to argue that the “new” Miley is never inappropriate or always right, but we can’t blame her for becoming an adult and wanting to expand her horizons. It’s not uncommon for ex Disney-stars to go to drastic measures to try and to shed their “Disney Images”. We’ve witnessed this with Zac, Ashley, Selena, Demi, Vanessa, and Lindsay as well. As stars become older, they want to take on new things and appeal to broader audiences.
Many critics also argue that Miley’s new image is inappropriate. This may be true, but she does not deserve all that negativity for it. Music is about expressing yourself. In the song “Wrecking Ball,” Miley is expressing her true thoughts and feelings. If you look past her two-dimensional image, you can see another dimension- the vivid emotions on her face. She also claims she is trying to show her vulnerability through her attire. She was definitely vulnerable in her relationship with her ex fiancé, Liam Hemsworth, who cheated on her (which is what the song was written about). Whether or not her image is to actually show vulnerability or is just another a marketing technique, it’s pop-culture. One of the elements of pop culture is dressing funky and different, creating a memorable performance. How different would Lady Gaga be without her unique outfits like her crazy meat or bubble wrap dresses? No one will certainly forget that crazy mouse leotard Miley wore to the VMAs. Wrecking Ball made history- breaking VEVO’s most viewed video in twenty-four hours at nineteen million, and on top of that, making #1 on the charts.
Miley has suffered a lot of unnecessary hate these past months. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and certainly does not need to agree with everything she does, but she does not deserve so much negativity for it.
