It’s been over a decade since Miley Cyrus left behind the glitter, the wig, and the double life of Hannah Montana. But as it turns out, she didn’t just walk away — she was legally shut out.
On a recent episode of The Ringer podcast, Miley dropped a long-awaited explanation for why she’s never revisited the songs that made her a household name on Disney Channel. As fans speculated for years, it wasn’t personal — it was contractual.
“After I left Disney, I wasn’t allowed to perform any of the Hannah Montana music,” she said candidly. “It’s not like I wanted to — I mean, performing ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ between ‘We Can’t Stop’ and ‘Wrecking Ball’ wouldn’t have really made sense.”
While her pop transformation post-Disney was bold and deliberate, Cyrus admitted she had mixed emotions about leaving that chapter behind completely.
“It was still sad knowing those songs have my voice, my face, and I wasn’t allowed to sing them,” she reflected.
But now, something has changed. In 2024, Miley was named a Disney Legend at the D23 Expo — the youngest person ever to receive the honor — and along with the recognition came new permissions. For the first time since leaving the channel, Miley is now legally allowed to perform her Hannah Montana songs.
“After being inducted as a Disney Legend, I was given permission to perform those songs in the future, which is pretty cool,” she said.
Her tone was understated, but for fans — and for Cyrus herself — it marked a quiet yet profound reclamation of a career-defining role.
Why This Matters
For many young stars who grew up under the glare of Disney’s spotlight, transitioning into adult artistry has meant shedding the past like a second skin. Miley didn’t just distance herself from Hannah Montana — she ran in the opposite direction, challenging everything the brand represented with her 2013 breakout album Bangerz and its wild, controversial rollout.
But the inability to return to her Disney-era music wasn’t about rebellion. It was about rights. As a Disney creation, Hannah Montana — and all associated music — was part of a tightly held corporate property. And while Miley lent her voice, face, and name to the character, the material technically wasn’t hers.
Now, at 32, with full artistic control and a new album (Something Beautiful) on the way, Cyrus finally holds the power to reconnect with her roots — not as a contract-bound performer, but as a woman who helped shape pop culture in her teens.
A Look Back at Hannah Montana’s Cultural Impact
When Hannah Montana premiered in 2006, it didn’t just become a Disney Channel hit — it became a phenomenon. The show struck a nerve with an entire generation, blending catchy pop, teenage wish fulfillment, and just enough realism to make the fantasy believable. Miley Stewart was just a normal girl — except for the part where she secretly performed in stadiums.
Across its four seasons (2006–2011), Hannah Montana achieved:
-
98 episodes
-
Multiple multi-platinum soundtracks
-
The 2009 Hannah Montana: The Movie, which grossed $155 million worldwide
-
The wildly successful Best of Both Worlds Tour, earning over $54 million
-
Chart-topping songs like “The Climb,” “Nobody’s Perfect,” and “He Could Be the One”
For Disney, the series was one of its most profitable ventures of the 2000s. For Miley, it was the launchpad that propelled her into an international spotlight before she was even old enough to vote.
But as with many child stars, the show also became a gilded cage — one she had to fight her way out of to be taken seriously as an adult artist.
The Return of Hannah — On Her Terms
Now that she’s free to perform that music again, the question lingers: Will she?
Cyrus didn’t confirm any plans to incorporate Hannah Montana songs into upcoming performances or releases, but the door is officially open. And with nostalgia running high in pop culture, a well-placed throwback or reimagined tour moment wouldn’t be entirely out of the question.
More importantly, the moment symbolizes a kind of healing — a reunion between the Miley we met as kids and the woman she is now.
As she put it during her emotional Disney Legends speech at D23:
“I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana. In so many ways, this award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing loyal fans… To quote the legend herself, ‘This is the life.’”
Whether or not she ever sings “Rock Star” or “Life’s What You Make It” live again, one thing is clear: Miley Cyrus owns her past now — and that changes everything.
