• Miley Cyrus believes she was the first person ever cancelled after facing backlash for transitioning from Hannah Montana star to provocative pop artist.
• The 32-year-old Grammy winner says she didn’t realize how brutal the public reaction was until years later, telling CBS Sunday Morning the criticism was challenging for others but fun for her.
• Social media critics quickly disputed Cyrus’ claim, pointing to Madonna, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera as earlier targets of cancel culture.

LOS ANGELES (TDR) — Miley Cyrus is reflecting on the intense backlash she received during her career transformation, claiming she may have been the first person ever cancelled as she transitioned from Disney child star to provocative pop performer in the early 2010s.

In a preview clip for her upcoming CBS Sunday Morning interview airing October 5, the 32-year-old singer responded to host Tracy Smith about the criticism from angry mothers who objected to her provocative rebrand. Cyrus stated matter-of-factly that she believes she pioneered the experience of being cancelled in modern pop culture.

The Disney Departure

Cyrus rose to fame as the star of Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, which debuted in March 2006 to a record-breaking 5.4 million viewers, the highest in the network’s history at that time. She was just 13 years old when she played Miley Stewart, a teenager leading a secret double life as a Malibu student by day and global pop star by night. The show ran until 2011 and made Cyrus a household name among families with young children.

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After leaving the wholesome Disney series, Cyrus made a dramatic transformation with albums like 2010’s Can’t Be Tamed and 2013’s Bangerz, the latter debuting at number one on the Billboard 200. The shift included provocative performances, revealing outfits, and a complete departure from her family-friendly image.

Her most controversial moment came at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, where she stripped and twerked on stage with Robin Thicke in a performance that dominated headlines and sparked widespread parental outrage.

Delayed Understanding

Despite facing intense criticism at the time, Cyrus told CBS Sunday Morning she didn’t fully grasp the severity of the backlash until she was older. The “Flowers” singer admitted the public reaction was harsh but insisted she was having fun during the controversial period.

“I didn’t know until I was older actually how brutal it really was,” Cyrus explained in the interview teaser. “It was very challenging for other people but for me, it was a good time. It looked fun and it was fun. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized how harsh it was.”

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The Grammy award winner added perspective from her current vantage point as a 32-year-old, saying she would never judge someone in their twenties the way others judged her. She characterized the experience as awesome at the time, even though she now recognizes the difficulties it created for her family members.

In a previous interview with Monica Lewinsky on the Reclaiming podcast in June, Cyrus revealed the embarrassment extended to her siblings. She said her brother and sister didn’t want to go to school because of how humiliated they were to be related to her during that period.

The Pushback

Cyrus’ claim about being the first cancelled celebrity sparked immediate debate on social media. Commenters quickly pointed to earlier female pop stars who faced similar or even harsher public backlash and professional consequences.

“I love you Miley forever, but we all know MADONNA was the first and most cancelled person ever in the music industry,” one Instagram user wrote in response to the CBS Sunday Morning teaser. Another commenter noted, “Britney Spears would definitely disagree.”

A third person referenced Christina Aguilera and her 2002 song “Dirty,” which generated massive controversy for its sexual imagery and marked Aguilera’s departure from her teen pop image. The backlash Aguilera faced included widespread media criticism and calls for boycotts more than a decade before Cyrus’ transformation.

Madonna’s career has been marked by repeated controversies since the 1980s, including her “Like a Prayer” music video in 1989, which was condemned by religious groups and led Pepsi to cancel a major endorsement deal. Britney Spears faced relentless tabloid scrutiny and public mockery during her highly publicized struggles in the mid-2000s.

Looking Forward

Beyond reflecting on her past controversies, Cyrus is expected to discuss her journey to sobriety, her family relationships, and her ninth studio album, Something Beautiful, during the full CBS Sunday Morning interview. The episode will also feature singer Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf, discussing his new autobiography.

The pop star has become more reflective about her turbulent early career in recent years. Earlier this year, she spoke candidly about the Bangerz era, acknowledging the embarrassment and guilt she felt about how her actions affected her family members.

Despite the controversy surrounding her claim about being first to be cancelled, Cyrus’ career has thrived. In February 2024, she won her first two Grammy Awards for “Flowers,” and added a third Grammy at the 2025 ceremony for her duet with Beyoncé. Her continued success suggests that while cancel culture may have targeted her, it ultimately failed to derail her career trajectory.

Was Miley Cyrus really the first celebrity to be cancelled, or do Madonna, Britney Spears, and other female artists have stronger claims to that distinction? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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