Miley Cyrus is one of the biggest pop stars in the world – and she’s been operating on that level since 2006. It’s hard to imagine there is anyone out there that doesn’t know a good amount about Cyrus, but we’ve attempted to find five facts you may not know about the “Malibu” singer. Find them below.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. She didn’t originally audition to be Hannah Montana
As we all know, Cyrus got her start as the pop star with a double life, Hannah Montana. But, did you know that when she first auditioned for the Disney Channel original, she wasn’t gunning for the lead role? Cyrus originally auditioned to play Montana’s best friend, Lilly. Once the casting director heard her vocal chops, there was no other choice for the teenage sensation but Cyrus.
[RELATED: From Hannah Montana to a Rebel Heart]
2. She has a non-profit called The Happy Hippie Foundation
In 2014, Cyrus founded a nonprofit called The Happy Hippie Foundation. With the nonprofit, Cyrus hoped to help vulnerable populations such as homeless youth or members of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2015, Cyrus created a performance series for the foundation – in which she performed covers of classic tunes. Check out her performance of “Happy Together” below.
3. She credits Elvis Presley as being her biggest inspiration
As you could probably glean from the cover of her 2017 album, Younger Now, Cyrus loves Elvis. Cyrus has cited a number of influences over the years, but few are as timeless as The King. “My biggest inspiration is Elvis Presley – and fashion icon,” she once said on a radio show.
4. She has tachycardia
In the late ’00s, Cyrus revealed that she had tachycardia. Though it isn’t a particularly dangerous disease, the increased heart rate that comes along with it isn’t ideal for someone who plays two to three-hour concerts.
5. Her name-making song “We Can’t Stop” was originally written for Rihanna
“We Can’t Stop” ushered in a new era for Cyrus. It took her from a Disney Channel star to a provocative pop singer in less than four minutes. But, it almost didn’t have the chance to change her career forever as the song was originally written for Rihanna.
“When I originally worked on ‘We Can’t Stop,’ we had did it for Rihanna,” Mike WiLL Made-It told MTV News (per Billboard). “The idea was more towards Rihanna. Rihanna, she heard ‘Pour It Up’ right away, and she didn’t even hear ‘We Can’t Stop.'”
(Photo by Ovidio Gonzalez/Getty Images for MC)
