Miley Cyrus celebrated her Innovator Award win at the iHeartRadio Music Awards with a heartfelt acceptance speech paying tribute to her Hannah Montana roots.
The “Slide Away” singer, 33, took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 26, to accept the honor.
In her speech, Cyrus reflected on celebrating 20 years of Hannah Montana, describing the milestone as “a dream come true.”
“My double denim and gold scarf thank you, because they’ve been waiting over a decade to leave the house,” she joked.
Cyrus went on to credit Hannah Montana for influencing her real life, explaining the character “inspired me so much in my own career.”
“I fell in love with the idea that you can create a persona that gives you the confidence and the courage to perform authentically and that sometimes the fake you can actually reveal the real you,” she said.
Cyrus also reflected on what the concept of innovation has meant for her throughout her career.
“Innovation for me hasn’t been about leaving who I’ve been behind, but about keeping the journey of finding myself a lot of fun,” she said. “I’ve always written songs and told stories because I love it, and winning awards for that work is of course rewarding, but it’s not my compass, because if it was, I’m sure I’d end up very lost.”
She added: “When the win isn’t recognition, but making art that reaches the hearts of people I may never meet, it brings me a kind of joy that is deeply meaningful. Younger me is so honored to share this moment with you. I’m proud to stand here and tell you how much you mean to me.”
Since its 2014 inception, the iHeartRadio Innovator Award has been presented to an artist who has impacted music and global culture during their career. Past recipients include Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, Chance the Rapper and U2.
In addition to the Innovator Award, Cyrus already has two iHeartRadio Music Awards on her shelf after winning Best Lyrics for “Wrecking Ball” in 2014 and Pop Song of the Year for “Flowers” in 2024.
Cyrus’ latest accolade comes just days after she marked the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana’s premiere with a Disney+ special on Tuesday, March 24.
“I learned this terrible habit — but I actually think it was good advice from [godmother] Dolly [Parton],” Cyrus told Variety earlier this month of how the special came to be. “She told me that if you want something to happen, promote it before it exists. Then no one can say no. So I just started promoting a Hannah Montana 20th-anniversary special that literally did not exist.”
She continued, “I think even Disney sometimes forgets the connection between me and Hannah. It’s not just a TV show. I see daily how important Hannah is to people. When I travel, people bring me Hannah merch. They ask, ‘Are you ever going to do another season?’”
At a screening of the special, Cyrus delivered a speech reflecting on her big break as Hannah Montana.
“Everything in my life is so amazing because Disney took a chance on me,” she said. “I had no business coming out to Los Angeles thinking that I could carry a show or pretend to be a pop star. I had no experience. I had done some theater before. … There were some years where I think they thought they made the right call. I think it all worked out just fine because whatever got us here in this room to honor and celebrate — not just the show itself — which has been the beginning of all of this. The cast is here tonight and it’s so amazing. Without you all, this show would never [have] been what it is.”
She continued, “I might be the only one in this room that never got to go to a Hannah Montana concert [because] I was the Hannah Montana concert. But now I understand why it was so much fun to go to one of Hannah’s shows to dress like her, wear the wig and wear the scarf. That’s what it felt like for me to celebrate Hannah Montana — now from the other side.”
