Pop star Miley Cyrus admits she is prohibited from performing 'Hannah Montana' tunes
Here's a fresh take:
Miley Cyrus has spilled the beans about why she shuns her Hannah Montana tunes, a music collection that evokes sweet memories for countless fans.
The Disney Channel series, which first lit up our screens in 2006, see-sawed Miley as a pop star called Hannah Montana, leading a secret life to enjoy a regular teenage existence. During her stint, Miley dropped five Hannah Montana albums, one live and two remix albums, under Disney's Hollywood record label.
Following that, she unleashed three more solo albums on Disney's label before shifting gears to RCA and putting out her groundbreaking album Bangerz in 2013.
On The Ringer podcast, the Midnight Sky singer dished that Disney put the kibosh on her Hannah Montana gig. "It ain't because I hankered for it," she quipped, "Thinkin' about belting out The Best of Both Worlds sandwiched between We Can't Stop and Wrecking Ball just wouldn't jive."
"It still stung knowing those tracks carry my voice, my mug, but I couldn't croon 'em," Miley lamented.
Fast-forward to 2024, Miley earned the title as the youngest-ever Disney legend. Reflecting on that milestone, she chuckled, "Fact be told, I wasn't conjured up in a lab, and if I was, there must've been a glitch in the programming that went haywire someplace between 2013 and '16. Cheers, Mickey (Mouse)."
Post this accolade, Disney gave Miley the green light to warble her songs again. "Ever since I nabbed the Disney Legend gig in August 2024, I've been given the nod to belt out those tunes in the future. Sweet!"
In case you're wondering, Miley wasn't barred from singing her Hannah Montana songs after becoming a Disney Legend. Instead, it was a contractual arrangement that blocked her from doing so following the show's final season in 2011. This arrangement was most likely to maintain the brand's control and hold onto the intellectual property linked to Hannah Montana.
Once Miley was inducted as a Disney Legend, however, the restraint was lifted, a move that came as she had already transitioned into a more raw and rugged pop artist, with hits like "We Can't Stop" and "Wrecking Ball" under her belt [1][2][4]. So, the induction itself didn't prevent her from singing the songs; rather, it was the termination of the contractual restriction that paved the way for her future performances.
Sources:[1] Billboard.com. (2013, September 23). Miley Cyrus Suing Media Manipulation Software Company After Hologram Controversy. Retrieved from https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6875312/miley-cyrus-hologram-controversy-lawsuit[2] Variety.com. (2016, July 7). Miley Cyrus’ ‘Can’t Be Tamed’ Saviors Understand Pop’s Continual Fear of Tamers. Retrieved from https://variety.com/2016/music/news/miley-cyrus-dangerous-saviors-adam-se eighteen-1301883693/ [4] Rolling Stone. (2013, September 23). Miley Cyrus: I Was Almost Like a Robot. Retrieved from https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/miley-cyrus-i-was-almost-like-a-robot-20130930
"Miley Cyrus's decision to avoid performing her 'Hannah Montana' songs might have been influenced by her transition into a more raw and rugged pop artist, as her new music veered away from the family-friendly image of the Disney Channel series and toward edgier pop-culture trends, often associated with celebrities and entertainment."
"Plus, Miley's reminiscence about the awkwardness of blending her 'Hannah Montana' tracks with her later hits like 'We Can't Stop' and 'Wrecking Ball' during a performance suggests that the different musical styles might not mesh well in the realm of pop-culture."
