Miley Cyrus
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Miley Cyrus has emerged from her child stardom a strong, ethically-conscious woman. The public have known of the singer-actress since 2003, when she burst onto the Disney Channel as her pop star alter-ego Hannah Montana.

Since then, the 24 year-old has evolved into film star, and later, provocative singer-songwriter under her own name.

But now, the Tennessee-born philanthropist has revealed that the Hannah Montana portion of her life left an indelible mark on her mind.

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Miley Cyrus

Speaking to CBS, Cyrus, currently engaged to Australian actor Liam Hemsworth, explained that it was in the 2000s, when she was touring and performing both as Hannah Montana and also as herself, that things became challenging.

She explained that the blurry lines between existing as herself and as her Montana alter-ego had a confusing impact on her young brain:

I think people loved Hannah Montana because it was real, and that's because I was under there. But what was hard for me was balancing everything. When I started touring as both – I toured as Hannah Montana and as myself – I think that's probably why a little bit is wrong with me now. I mark that up as doing some damage to my psyche.

At the time of the 'Best of Both Worlds' tour, the VP of Ticketmaster told the L.A. Times, 'People who have been in this business for a long time are watching what's happening, and they say there hasn't been a demand of this level or intensity since the Beatles or Elvis.'

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Miley Cyrus

Post Hannah Montana, Cyrus had hits such as 'Can't Be Tamed' and films like The Last Song, but it was only until 'We Can't Stop' and 'Wrecking Ball' in 2013 that she began to regain her image.

She told CBS:

I didn't realise that it was going to shift me into truly being my own person. It changed my life. I felt like that boundary, that divide [between Miley and Hannah Montana] was very clear. I've learned a lot from people that have been knocked down about how to get back up.

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Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus

Not that the response was immediately positive, Cyrus grinding on Robin Thicke at the VMAs elicited a very mixed response:

I definitely got that women judgement double standard thing in a heavy dose. But I recently read Hillary Clinton's book and now I think of things in a whole different way. If she can lose an election, I can do this.

Watch the full interview below:

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Daisy Murray
Digital Fashion Editor

Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.