See the Cutest Throwback Photos of Miley Cyrus

Mar. 15, 2025

Miley Cyrus.Photo:Miley Cyrus/Instagram

Miley Cyrus/Instagram

The eight-timeGrammynominee was destined for success even before she nabbed the lead role onHannah Montana, the Disney Channel series that kicked off her career. Growing up with her big family in Tennessee, she was already capturing hearts with the radiant grin that earned her the nickname “Smiley.” Even once Cyrus dropped the “S” from her nickname and became the Miley Cyrus who went on to world domination, she never lost that infectious grin.

Take a look back at Miley Cyrus' younger years captured in her cutest throwback photos.

01of 12Born for StardomBilly Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus.Rick Diamond/GettyCyrus has spent her entire life in the spotlight. She was born the same year her dad,Billy Ray Cyrus, released his chart-topping country single “Achy Breaky Heart.” During her 2023 Hulu specialEndless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions), the “Flowers” singer reflected on why she and her dad view famein “wildly different” ways.“My dad grew up the opposite of me. I grew up on a soundstage, like, in a house with a family that was super close and all lived under the same roof, and I grew up financially stable and emotionally stable, I think, in my relationships also,” she said. “That’s something that my dad didn’t have.”

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Born for Stardom

Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus.Rick Diamond/Getty

Rick Diamond/Getty

Cyrus has spent her entire life in the spotlight. She was born the same year her dad,Billy Ray Cyrus, released his chart-topping country single “Achy Breaky Heart.” During her 2023 Hulu specialEndless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions), the “Flowers” singer reflected on why she and her dad view famein “wildly different” ways.

“My dad grew up the opposite of me. I grew up on a soundstage, like, in a house with a family that was super close and all lived under the same roof, and I grew up financially stable and emotionally stable, I think, in my relationships also,” she said. “That’s something that my dad didn’t have.”

02of 12Smiles for MilesMiley Cyrus.Miley Cyrus/InstagramBorn Destiny Hope Cyrus, her parentsused to call her “Smiley"for her sunny disposition. The nickname was eventually shortened to Miley, and in 2008, the Tennessee nativelegally changed her full name to Miley Ray Cyrus, honoring her dad with a shared middle moniker.

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Smiles for Miles

Miley Cyrus.Miley Cyrus/Instagram

Born Destiny Hope Cyrus, her parentsused to call her “Smiley"for her sunny disposition. The nickname was eventually shortened to Miley, and in 2008, the Tennessee nativelegally changed her full name to Miley Ray Cyrus, honoring her dad with a shared middle moniker.

03of 12All in the FamilyMiley Cyrus and Noah Cyrus.Miley Cyrus/InstagramThe Grammy-nominated artist isone of six siblings. Her parents Billy Ray andTish Cyrus— who divorced in 2022 — also share son Braison, 29, and youngest daughterNoah, 24. Tish is mom to Brandi, 36, and Trace, 34, whom Billy Ray adopted when they were kids, and the country crooner also welcomed 31-year-old son Christopher with a previous partner.Cyrus and her little sister share an extra special bond, both pursuing a career in the music industry. Before coming into her own fame — Noah nabbed aGrammy nomination of her ownfor best new artist in 2021 — the youngest Cyrus sibling would guest star on episodes ofHannah Montana.

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All in the Family

Miley Cyrus and Noah Cyrus.Miley Cyrus/Instagram

The Grammy-nominated artist isone of six siblings. Her parents Billy Ray andTish Cyrus— who divorced in 2022 — also share son Braison, 29, and youngest daughterNoah, 24. Tish is mom to Brandi, 36, and Trace, 34, whom Billy Ray adopted when they were kids, and the country crooner also welcomed 31-year-old son Christopher with a previous partner.

Cyrus and her little sister share an extra special bond, both pursuing a career in the music industry. Before coming into her own fame — Noah nabbed aGrammy nomination of her ownfor best new artist in 2021 — the youngest Cyrus sibling would guest star on episodes ofHannah Montana.

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Sisters First

On Noah’s birthday in 2021, Cyruspaid tribute to her little siswith a heartfelt Instagram post.

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Used to Be Young

06of 12Disney Channel DaysMiley Cyrus.DISNEY CHANNEL/TONY RIVETTIThough her life didn’t start with her lead role as the titular teen pop sensation inHannah Montana, Cyrus' music career did kick off there.At just 13-years-old, Cyrus started playing Miley Stewart, a middle schooler living a double life as a pop star. But fiction and reality started to blend for Cyrus when she started to release music and tour as Hannah Montana.

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Disney Channel Days

Miley Cyrus.DISNEY CHANNEL/TONY RIVETTI

DISNEY CHANNEL/TONY RIVETTI

Though her life didn’t start with her lead role as the titular teen pop sensation inHannah Montana, Cyrus' music career did kick off there.

At just 13-years-old, Cyrus started playing Miley Stewart, a middle schooler living a double life as a pop star. But fiction and reality started to blend for Cyrus when she started to release music and tour as Hannah Montana.

07of 12The Voice Behind HannahMiley Cyrus.Marsaili McGrath/GettyThe up-and-coming star recorded her first songs as Miley Cyrus in 2007, on a shared album with her on-screen alter ego.“The smartest thing to do was to put it on a double disc so Hannah would be on the other side, because at the time I wasn’t valued in the way that Hannah was,” Cyrus explained ina reflective Tiktok videofrom her “Used to Be Young” series. “This was a way that we could help people put the two and two together that really the voice behind Hannah was always me.”

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The Voice Behind Hannah

Miley Cyrus.Marsaili McGrath/Getty

Marsaili McGrath/Getty

The up-and-coming star recorded her first songs as Miley Cyrus in 2007, on a shared album with her on-screen alter ego.

“The smartest thing to do was to put it on a double disc so Hannah would be on the other side, because at the time I wasn’t valued in the way that Hannah was,” Cyrus explained ina reflective Tiktok videofrom her “Used to Be Young” series. “This was a way that we could help people put the two and two together that really the voice behind Hannah was always me.”

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Mitchel Musso, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Emily Osment and Jason Earles.Jesse Grant/WireImage

Jesse Grant/WireImage

09of 12Encouragement at HomeMiley Cyrus and Tish Cyrus.Miley Cyrus/InstagramEven though Tish wasn’t a part ofHannah Montana, Cyrus has shared that her mom wasparticularly supportiveof her journey to stardom. In a September 2013 interview withRolling Stone, the “We Can’t Stop” singer said Tish could relate to her daughter’s dreams, as she herself wanted to be a performer at one point.“She danced ballet from the time she was three till she was 30, but she was very shy,” Cyrus told the publication. “She could never do this, so she wanted it for me. I get anxiety too, and she didn’t want my anxiety to ever stop me from doing it the way it stopped her.”

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Encouragement at Home

Miley Cyrus and Tish Cyrus.Miley Cyrus/Instagram

Even though Tish wasn’t a part ofHannah Montana, Cyrus has shared that her mom wasparticularly supportiveof her journey to stardom. In a September 2013 interview withRolling Stone, the “We Can’t Stop” singer said Tish could relate to her daughter’s dreams, as she herself wanted to be a performer at one point.

“She danced ballet from the time she was three till she was 30, but she was very shy,” Cyrus told the publication. “She could never do this, so she wanted it for me. I get anxiety too, and she didn’t want my anxiety to ever stop me from doing it the way it stopped her.”

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Best of Both Worlds

On the show’s 15th anniversary, sheshowed Hannah some gratitudein a love letter addressed to her on-screen alter ego.

11of 12Dialing InMiley Cyrus.Miley Cyrus/InstagramOver the years, the former Disney star has treated her Instagram followers of cheeky photo dumps from her teen years. In March 2021, Cyrus sharedsome classic Y2K throwbacks, including this sunglassed snap of her pouty younger self chatting on the phone.

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Dialing In

Over the years, the former Disney star has treated her Instagram followers of cheeky photo dumps from her teen years. In March 2021, Cyrus sharedsome classic Y2K throwbacks, including this sunglassed snap of her pouty younger self chatting on the phone.

12of 12Being Herself-ieMiley Cyrus.Miley Cyrus/InstagramCyrus might’ve been a household name when she was only 13, but herold selfiesshow that the multi-hyphenate talent wasn’t so different from the typical teen.

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Being Herself-ie

Cyrus might’ve been a household name when she was only 13, but herold selfiesshow that the multi-hyphenate talent wasn’t so different from the typical teen.

source: people.com