iHeartRadio Music Awards 2026: Miley Cyrus Shares How “Fake” Persona Gave Her Confidence
Miley Cyrus is getting her flowers.
While accepting the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards 2026 in Los Angeles on March 26, the “Wrecking Ball” singer shared an empowering lesson she learned from Hannah Montana. (See all the musicians in attendance here.)
“Hannah Montana inspired me so much in my own career,” Miley shared. “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.”
Miley—who joins previous winners including Pharrell Williams, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga—explained that innovation for her isn’t “about leaving who I’ve been behind,” but rather “about keeping the journey to finding myself a lot of fun.”
“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,” she continued. “Because if it was, I’m sure I’d end up very lost.”