THE RUNDOWN
- Miley Cyrus received the Innovator Award at last night’s iHeartRadio Music Awards.
- In her acceptance speech, she reflected on her legacy, discussing the impact Hannah Montana had on her career and sense of identity.
- Cyrus recently looked back at her time as Hannah Montana for the Disney Channel show’s 20th anniversary special and discussed the life she has built for herself since.
Miley Cyrus had a special career milestone last night, receiving the iHeartRadio Music Awards’ Innovator Award. Past winners include Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga.
The honor recognizes Cyrus’s continuing contributions to music and culture. In her acceptance speech, she reflected on her legacy, saying, “Innovation for me hasn’t been about leaving who I’ve been behind, but about keeping the journey of finding myself a lot of fun.”
“When the win isn’t recognition, but making art that reaches the hearts of people I may never meet, it brings me a kind of joy that is deeply meaningful,” she added. She even threw in a Hannah Montana reference at the end of her speech, saying, “This really is the life!”—a reference to her song “This Is the Life.”
Read her full speech below:
This week, celebrating 20 years of Hannah Montana has been a dream come true. My double denim and gold scarf—thank you—because they’ve been waiting over a decade to leave that house. Hannah Montana inspired me so much in my own career. I fell in love with the idea that you can create a persona that gives you the confidence and courage to perform authentically—and that sometimes the fake you can actually reveal the real you. Innovation for me hasn’t been about leaving who I’ve been behind, but about keeping the journey of finding myself fun. I’ve always written songs and told stories because I love it, and winning awards for that work is, of course, rewarding, but it’s not my compass. If it were, I’m sure I’d end up very lost.
When the win isn’t recognition, but about making art that reaches the hearts of people I may never meet, it brings me a kind of joy that is deeply meaningful. Younger me is so honored to share this moment with you, and I’m proud to stand here today and tell you how much you mean to me. This really is the life!
Cyrus’s appearance came days after the release of the Hannah Montana: 20th Anniversary Special, where the star looked back at the Disney Channel show that launched her career.
In her recent Variety cover story, Cyrus spoke honestly about how she carved out the life she wanted for herself despite her childhood fame and ongoing celebrity.
“I get so much of every single thing I want,” she said. “My relationship [with fiancé Maxx Morando] is private, my business is successful, and I get to have the small things people take for granted, like waking up in my own bed and feeding my dogs.”
“But then I also get to be Hannah again and have people sobbing because they just saw ‘This Is the Life’ live,” she added. “I love that I’ve curated my life that way.”
She also touched on the difference sobriety has made for her, saying, “It’s no surprise that I had my experiences with drugs and alcohol [given childhood fame]. I was so used to living at a high, and I don’t think I ever learned how to come down from that. Now, through a sober lens, I can have compassion and understanding for myself.”
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