Miley Cyrus Biography: Grammy-Winning Pop Star and Disney Icon

Q: How did Miley Cyrus become famous?

She starred as Miley Stewart on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana (2006-2011), a show about a teen living a double life as a pop star. Its soundtracks, tours and a 2009 movie made her a teen idol before she launched her adult pop career.

October 19, 2026

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This Miley Cyrus biography traces her path from Disney Channel teen idol to three-time Grammy-winning pop star. Born Destiny Hope Cyrus in Tennessee, she became a global phenomenon as Hannah Montana before reinventing herself as one of pop’s most distinctive voices — a journey that came full circle with her emotional October 2026 return to the Hollywood Bowl stage.

Quick facts

Full name	Miley Ray Cyrus (born Destiny Hope Cyrus)
Born	November 23, 1992, Franklin, Tennessee, USA
Nationality	American
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, actress
Known for	Hannah Montana, “Wrecking Ball”, “Flowers”, three Grammy Awards
Partner	Engaged to musician Maxx Morando (since December 2025)
Children	None

Early life & background

Miley Cyrus was born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee, to country singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus and his wife Tish Cyrus (Britannica). Nicknamed “Smiley” as an infant for her cheerful disposition, she shortened it to “Miley” and legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus in 2008 (Encyclopedia.com). She grew up as one of six children, including singer Noah Cyrus and model Braison Cyrus (IMDb). The family moved to Toronto when she was eight while her father filmed the TV series Doc (2001), where she landed her first acting role alongside him, followed by a small part in Tim Burton’s Big Fish (2003) (Parade). Her godmother is country legend Dolly Parton, whom her father asked to take the role after touring with her (American Songwriter). Like her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, music was never far from her childhood.

Career

At 13, Cyrus won the lead in Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana (2006–2011), playing Miley Stewart — a teenager living a double life as a pop star. The show became a phenomenon, spawning hit soundtracks, sold-out tours and Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), making Cyrus a teen idol alongside fellow Disney stars like Selena Gomez (Britannica). She returned for the show’s 20th anniversary special, which aired on Disney+ and Hulu in March 2026.

Her recording career began in parallel: Meet Miley Cyrus (2007), then Breakout (2008) — her first album as a solo artist, per Britannica — followed by the film The Last Song (2010) and Can’t Be Tamed (2010), after which she left Disney and signed with RCA Records. The 2013 album Bangerz marked her full reinvention: #1 on the Billboard 200, the chart-topping single “Wrecking Ball”, the hit “We Can’t Stop”, and a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album. She then zigzagged artistically — the psychedelic Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz (2015), country-leaning Younger Now (2017), and rock-driven Plastic Hearts (2020), which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums (BroadwayWorld/Disney).

Television added a second income pillar: she became the youngest coach in NBC’s The Voice history at the time, mentoring teams in seasons 11 (2016) and 13 (2017) for a reported $13 million per season (GOBankingRates, citing Variety).

The commercial peak arrived in 2023: “Flowers” spent eight weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the IFPI Global Single of 2023 (IFPI). At the 2024 Grammys she won her first two Grammys — Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Flowers” — and a third in 2025 for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II MOST WANTED” with Beyoncé (GRAMMY.com).

Her ninth album, Something Beautiful (May 2025, Columbia), arrived with a visual film that premiered at the Tribeca Festival and debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 (BroadwayWorld); her tenth, Bass Persuades (Atlantic, September 18, 2026), hit #1 on the albums chart (Rolling Stone). The album’s rollout set up a major live moment: on October 16 and 18, 2026, she headlined two sold-out Hollywood Bowl shows — her first full concert set in roughly four years — before ~18,000 fans (TBS News). She broke down paying tribute to her late godmother Dolly Parton, who had died on August 25, 2026, telling the crowd she had once watched Parton perform on that very stage — then singing “Jolene” in her memory (Taste of Country).

Major achievements

Three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance (2024, “Flowers”); Best Country Duo/Group Performance (2025, “II MOST WANTED” with Beyoncé) — GRAMMY.com
IFPI Global Single Award 2023 for “Flowers”; eight weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
#1 albums including Bangerz, Plastic Hearts (Top Rock Albums) and Bass Persuades
Youngest The Voice coach at the time (seasons 11 and 13)
Time 100 most influential people (2008, 2014); Forbes Celebrity 100 (2014, ~$36M earnings)

Personal life

Cyrus was married to actor Liam Hemsworth from December 2018 until their divorce in 2020 (IMDb) and has no children. In December 2025, People confirmed her engagement to musician Maxx Morando, who proposed during a trip to Kyoto, Japan (People). She founded the Happy Hippie Foundation, which supports vulnerable LGBTQ youth.

Net worth snapshot

Miley Cyrus’s net worth is estimated at approximately $160 million as of 2026, per the most-cited published estimate (Celebrity Net Worth, via Parade and the Times of India); an alternative model puts it near $207 million. Her wealth spans two decades of music royalties, five tours grossing over $200 million combined, two $13-million The Voice seasons, endorsements and real estate. Read the full breakdown in Miley Cyrus’s net worth article.

Frequently asked questions

What is Miley Cyrus’s real name?

She was born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee. Nicknamed “Smiley” as a baby for smiling constantly, she shortened it to “Miley” and legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus in 2008 (Britannica, Encyclopedia.com).

How did Miley Cyrus become famous?

She starred as Miley Stewart on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana (2006–2011), a show about a teen living a double life as a pop star. Its soundtracks, tours and a 2009 movie made her a teen idol before she launched her adult pop career (Britannica).

How many Grammys has Miley Cyrus won?

Three: Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Flowers” (2024), plus Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II MOST WANTED” with Beyoncé (2025) (GRAMMY.com).

Is Miley Cyrus engaged?

Yes. People confirmed in December 2025 that she is engaged to musician Maxx Morando, who proposed during a trip to Kyoto, Japan. They were first romantically linked in November 2021 (People).