12 Ways Miley Cyrus Has Drastically Changed

Miley Cyrus may only be 24-years-old, but she’s already experienced plenty of transformations in both her personal life and her career. Born as Destiny Hope Cyrus (that’s right, her name is not really Miley at all) in Franklin, Tennessee, it didn’t take long for this natural born performer to follow her father (“Achy Breaky Heart” singer Billy Ray Cyrus) into the entertainment industry. However, her journey hasn’t been without a whole lot of growth. From her time as the quirky Hannah Montana to her current return to country and everything in between, Miley has drastically changed in ways that are wildly obvious and ways that are perhaps a little more subtle.

12. Country Roots to Hip Hop Exploration Back to Country Again

Hailing from Tennessee and being raised by a country singer obviously had its effect on young Miley which is why her first entrance into the entertainment industry had shades of her rootin’, tootin’ roots. But after her Hannah Montana days, when her music career seriously started to skyrocket, she shed her countrified ways and instead embraced a pop music style that leaned heavily on her new hip hop influence. Fans followed her right along with the change and eagerly embraced the peppier songs and heavier beats, but these days, Miley has decided to take a huge turn once again and has ditched her temporary hip hop-ishness and has returned to the twangy tunes that made her famous in the first place.

2

11. Wacky Wardrobe to Downhome Country Gal

Changing her musical style came along with a change in pretty much every other aspect of Miley. When she left behind the farm house fashion, the singer opted for a new style that went beyond what anyone could have ever expected. Apparently taking a note from Lady Gaga’s closet, Miley’s style direction was basically, “Go BIG or go home.” And by big, we mean little itty bitty outfits that barely covered her bits. But when Cyrus decided to return to her country roots, she packed away her vinyl bikinis and brought back out her denim cut-offs and checkered crop tops. And don’t forget the requisite cowboy hat!

3

10. Long Locks to a Side Shaved ‘Do to a Wavy Mane

Changing up her wardrobe wasn’t the only way that Miley Cyrus has been playing around with her style. From the long girl-next-door do during her Hannah Montana days, the “Wrecking Ball” singer decided to completely chop off her locks to make a distinct and obvious statement: i.e. I’m not an innocent little country gal anymore. Bleaching her hair and opting for the (at the time) wildly popular single side shave, Miley kept a little length around the front so she could continue to style her mane in various (usually attention earning) ways. But along with changing her outfit choices to suit her return to country, she’s decided that the short shaved style is no longer for her. She grew out her hair once again while also refusing to dye it, Miley’s currently rocking a two-toned color combo in an attempt to keep things au naturel.

4

9. Her Ever Growing Teeny, Tiny Tattoo Collection

Miley Cyrus’ love of body ink has bloomed in the last few years, prompting her to continue to make additions every time the mood strikes, but these days, Miley is all about the teeny tiny tattoos. From the matching wave tats she had done with her future sister-in-law (Chris Hemsworth’s wife), Elsa Pataky, to her nod to her beloved Shetland sheepdog Emu, to her tribute to both her love of avocados and to Liam Hemsworth’s favorite breakfast food, Vegemite. Miley Cyrus has a mini tattoo of a tiny jar of the black tarry spread that those down under are apparently so fond of. Currently, the star has around 41 tattoos which may seem like she should be covered in ink, but since most pieces are around an inch across (or even less), she’s not quite as inked up as you might assume.

5

8. She’s WAY More Political (Yes, Even More Than Before)

The Women’s March on Washington that coincided with events across the country and all over the world made history when it came to the sheer number of people who came out to make sure their voices were heard, and one of those voices was from Miley Cyrus, who had been SUPER vocal during this past election. Not only did she show up to march along with her friends, fans, and those who belief in equal rights, the singer also spoke to the crowd along with many other female celebrities. She also took to social media to express how “heartbroken” she was over President Trump’s ban on transgendered people serving in the military while also showing her support for immigrants. While Miley has never really been one to keep her opinions to herself (which we love), her activist ways and political leanings have become much more public in the last few years. Perhaps prompted by her own personal maturity or stemming from the current political climate, there’s no doubt that we’ll continue to hear from Miley as long as she feels like there’s something important that needs to be said.

6

7. Her Religious Leanings

If you follow Miley Cyrus on Instagram, you’ll have noticed various posts where she’s scattered flower petals across her floor as well as set up a little area with candles, fruit, and various framed images. While Miley didn’t clarify why she was participating in Puja, it certainly made it obvious that she’s now exploring religion and spirituality in various meaningful ways.

7

6. She Has Changed Her Views on Her Disney Days

Miley Cyrus was just 11-years-old when she first auditioned for a role on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana. She initially aimed for the part of the main character’s best friend, Miley’s singing and acting talents were *so* good that she was called in to take on the starring role. However, being so young is one of the reasons Miley now feels like she was taken advantage of. “I just wanted to be on TV,” the singer said during a recent interview with Elle. “I mean, at one point — they’ll probably kill me for saying it — I was probably the least paid person on my cast because I didn’t know any better. I was just like, ‘I can be on Disney! Yeah, I want to do it!’” She added, “My name was Miley on my show, but I didn’t own my name — we didn’t think about that. Like, ‘Yeah, you can use my name on your show, sure!’ My mom started understanding how many people take advantage of a child, so she hired smart people to protect me in that way. I’m happy that when I was younger, people protected me and put me in a position where I can now control my music.”

8

5. She Wants to Say Goodbye to the US and Good’day to Australia

Miley Cyrus and her love, Liam Hemsworth, may not be in any rush to walk down the aisle, but when they do, apparently a move will happen soon afterwards. The pair have reportedly decided to settle not in the US, but rather in Australia, Liam’s home country and the place where his older brother, Chris Hemsworth, and wife, actress Elsa Pataky, have also decided to raise their family. “[Miley’s] telling close friends she’ll move to Australia next year,” a source told Life & Style. “She loves the laid-back lifestyle there. She feels right at home.”

9

4. She’s Ditched Her Wild Ways

What is the wildest thing you think Miley Cyrus has ever done? Was it twerking with Robin “Beetlejuice” Thicke at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards while holding a giant foam finger and wearing a nude vinyl get-up? Perhaps it’s the fact that she became more than a little well known for sticking out her tongue. Well, if you can believe it, Miley has toned down her wild ways so much that she even admits that she now regrets the whole wrecking ball video. “It’s kinda crazy that I’ll always be known for licking a sledge hammer,” the singer revealed to Long Island’s Cooper Lawrence morning show, according to Entertainment Tonight.

10

3. She’s No Longer Smokes Weed

Miley Cyrus is as well known for her love of marijuana as she is for her acting skills and musical talents. The once wholesome Hannah Montana star embraced weed wholeheartedly and wasn’t shy (at all) when it came to sharing shots of herself enjoying a joint or two, but she shocked fans this past June when she revealed that she had quit smoking pot altogether. “I’m actually the most passionate about what I’m doing with this record than I’ve been — I say this every time, but I loved making this record so, so much,” she told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. “And this record at this moment is the most important album that I’ve ever made. So I wanted to make sure that I was super clear in the way I’m talking.” She also admitted that her decision was strangely prompted by a nightmare she had about hosting Saturday Night Live. “I had a dream that I would die during my monologue on SNL for some reason, that I would just get so stoned that I just died, which I Googled and that’s never happened.”

11

2. She’s Now an Open Book

Back in the day, Miley Cyrus was relatively private about her personal life. She and Liam Hemsworth would show up on the red carpet back when they were first together, but after breaking up and then making up again, the singer had been hesitant to post pics of her beloved, but that has TOTALLY changed these days. Now, she’s pretty much an open book. She regularly posts pics of herself and Liam being adorably silly, ringing in the New Year with a kiss, hanging out with family, cozying up with their pup, and enjoying life while being utterly in love.

12

1. She’s RE-Engaged to Liam Hemsworth

In 2009, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth were just a couple of young actors trying to make their name in Hollywood when they starred together in The Last Song. They fell in love both on and off screen and were certainly one of the cutest young celeb couples around which is why fans LOVED IT when the duo became engaged in 2012, but both felt like they need time to mature on their own which is why they broke off their engagement and parted ways in September of 2013. Fast forward a few years and rumors started to buzz that the two had reconnected after being spotted together on various occasions at the beginning of 2016. When Miley’s engagement ring reappeared on her finger, fans knew exactly what was up, but it wasn’t until an appearance on Ellen that Miley confirmed that the two were in fact engaged once again.