Like Justin Beiber as her male corollary, and rightly or wrongly, Miley Cyrus is a rather inescapable part of modern pop and has come to epitomize the effects of early-age stardom. Without a doubt, it would be exceptionally hard to keep yourself rooted in reality when you are making money that the vast majority of the world, including your fans, will never see while you are not yet even out of high school.
Perhaps because I was too old to really be a fan in her earliest days, I didn’t know that Miley Cyrus not her birth name. She was born Destiny Hope Cyrus but her happy demeanor as an infant and child led to getting the nickname Smiley. Eventually, that was shortened to her current name, which she made official in 2008 at the age of 15. She also took on her father’s middle name, Ray, which was a nod to Billy Ray Cyrus’ father, a Democratic politician.
Growing up in a suburb of Nashville, the home of country music, and the daughter of a famous country singer, it seemed natural that Miley would end up going down that path. Obviously, she chose differently, perhaps seeing that there was a wider audience and more money in pop music (something Taylor Swift clearly realized and literally changed her tune for, too).
Indeed, Miley Cyrus had all the makings of a country singer, with her distinct voice and her godmother being Dolly Parton. In fact, Dolly Parton has come to the young singers’ defense on more than one occasion, defending her personal choices.
It’s small wonder that Miley therefore chose to sing this song, ‘Jolene’, in her so-called Backyard Sessions. Indeed, Miley has a distinct knack for it. Like her personally or not, it’s hard to deny that she has an impressive talent for this kind of music. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if she releases a country music album in the future.
Miley Cyrus at the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Photo credit: onetwothreefourfive – Flickr. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Commons)