Miley Cyrus covers the September issue of Marie Claire to dramatic effect. When I say “dramatic,” I mean that she’s wearing clothing, which is truly shocking. Miley doesn’t have any new music on the horizon (yet), but she’s promoting her upcoming VMA hosting gig (which will air on Sunday, August 30). For the extremely curious, Miley is promoting the VMAs with some Instagram tush flashes. My guess? She’ll be extremely tame on VMAs night and surprise everyone.
The Marie Claire interview talks about Miley’s perceived injustices, including her constant desire to flash “mah boobs.” Miley mostly takes issue with how the world embraces Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” video.” This interpretive work has already been parodied as a basic-bitch work of art because Taylor used the video to promote her ongoing feud with Katy Perry. Taylor ends up, willing or not, feuding with other female pop stars even as she claims to be all about the sisterhood. Here’s what Miley had to say:
Miley doesn’t care about dollars: “People in this industry think, I just gotta keep getting more money, and I’m like, What are you getting more money for? You probably couldn’t even spend it all in this lifetime. People get more famous, so that they can make their brand more famous, so that they can sell more sh*t, so that they can make more money. It’s a never-ending cycle. Getting more money, having more hits, being the lead in the movie — those things might stimulate you, but they don’t make you happy. I’ve experienced it all already, and I’m telling you firsthand, it doesn’t.”
On industry double standards: “There is so much sexism, ageism, you name it. Kendrick Lamar sings about LSD and he’s cool. I do it and I’m a druggie whore.”
On Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” video: “I don’t get the violence revenge thing. That’s supposed to be a good example? And I’m a bad role model because I’m running around with my titties out? I’m not sure how t*tties are worse than guns.”
On being herself: “I don’t really stress too much about being out there. There’s nothing left to catch me doing. You want to hack my e-mail so you can find my nude pictures? I’ll just f***ing put them up.”
On her body: “I feel like a 15-year-old boy trapped in the body of a 22-year-old girl.”
[From Marie Claire]
The “Bad Blood” controversy is hilarious and overwrought. Even as a fan of the entire Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez oeuvre, I could tell Swifty directed her production team to mimic their effects for her own designs. The whole video was meant as revenge for some perceived threat when, honestly, there is more than enough room for a whole score of pop stars. They’re all trying to take each other out for no reason.
Miley also talked to Marie Claire about her new house, which arrives with acreage. She’s remodeling the place so she can adopt horses in addition to her plentiful dog/cat supply. Let’s hope she somehow learns to properly take care of a Persian in the meantime.
Photos courtesy of Marie Claire/Mark Seliger & Fame/Flynet
I really have no opinion on the whole Bad Blood video. BUT I gotta say I agree with Miley… somehow her boobs are worse than guns? Although we could talk about the whole female sexuality vs. violence thing all day long.
Taylor’s video is sci-fi, not any different than all the other music videos by the same director. If Miley wants to pretend that taking drugs is actually good for you, she’s more in the wrong here, because no person will buy a gun just because of Taylor Swift, but many will think taking molly, marihuana and coke is fine because of Miley’s lyrics. Molly can be deadly and it’s the drug she sings about te most. This isn’t about boobs but the message she is sending.
If we’re going to talk about who’s doing worse, it’s Miley. This little rebellion came after a very bad break up, so it’s not exactly coming from a happy place. She did a complete 180 from when she was with Liam.
Any attempt to minimize what she does, fails with such weak arguments that “Taylor promotes guns.”
+1
Yep
I agree
Technically it’s noir – not sci-fi. And guns are kinda par for the course in noir. BUT! Taylor’s still the worst.
Miley’s drug experimentation started WAAAY before her 2013 breakup with Liam Hemsworth. She first got caught smoking a bong in 2011 on her 18th birthday party. So I don’t think we can say Miley experiments with drugs because of the Liam breakup.
You’re right that seeing Taylor’s video won’t ‘make’ someone go out and buy a gun and shoot people, just like Miley singing about dancing with molly won’t ‘make’ someone go out and buy molly. But a person could argue that the video violence could imply or make someone feel justified in thinking that aggression and violence are the answers to whatever drama they have with their peers.
That’s not my opinion though- to tell you the truth, I don’t really think that violence and guns should be banned in music videos, movies, or books. I don’t think that’s Miley’s opinion either. What I do think is silly is that people are more up in arms about skin and sexuality- things that aren’t a harm all by themselves- than they are about the portrayal of weapons and violence. In reality though, if someone’s going to commit a crime or take a drug, they’re going to do it whether Taylor and Miley portray those things in a music video or not. #PeopleAreAccountableForTheirChoicesAndTheirsAlone.
No person is going to buy a gun because of that Taylor video, but I think the message is still very negative: “You don’t like a person?, use all sorts of resources to bully them.” Definitely more negative than smoking pot or showing tits.
None is a great example, but I think violence (not necessarily visual, but through lyrics like this case) is much worse.
Especially when she can use better examples that bubblegum Taylor, Rhiannas Bitch I want my money is horrifying thinking young girls are into her
To be fair, she was specifically comparing over-reaction to her titties vs Taylor’s acceptable guns. And it’s still a valid point, because people get all upset about nudity.
She did address her drug references in the context of the double-standard, where Kendrick is cool for doing the same. Irresponsible of both, but why does she get more harsh criticism for it?
justagirl
Yes!
This is the point that is getting very much Overlooked here for whatever reason.
And hit for hit these 2 could do the same things with their own twist and Miley would be torn down while Taylor praised.
I’m no Miley fan, but her point is Valid! And fanning these flames of a feud is completely silly. Dare I say Miley’s actions might be unconventional and attention seeking, but the message is a good 1.
I’d argue that one being comfortable with their nudity doesn’t necessarily equal sexuality though. The way Miley presents her good old naked self is practically purely anatomical at this point, nothing sexual behind it. If you consider it that way, yes, she has a great point. Drugs and guns are more acceptable than plain old female anatomy.
I’m on my high horse about this a bit, last week was National Breastfeeding Week (I’m not sure if that was only in the UK and Ireland, someone enlighten me). Anyway, of course that sparked the whole formula vs. breast feeding debate with people saying it was unfair to exclude formula feeding mothers, which it is, but I argued and continue to argue that breastfeeding needs more support, it needs to be normalised because there continues to be such a stigma around public breastfeeding for the very reason Miley freakin’ Cyrus of all people states. Boobs are offensive, they continue to be offensive, they continue to be viewed as purely sexual objects even at the expense of their primary function at times.
I’m not about to whip my jugs out in public to make a point, I’ll leave that to Miley, but she does have a great point there.
People were upset breastfeeding week excluded formula feeders? Why is even so hypersensitive these days? That’s like me getting mad about breast cancer awareness month because I have stomach cancer.
The online mom brigade, there’s nothing they can’t get offended by.
I’d love to hear Miley try to call out Rihanna on BBHMM video. Rihanna would punch her, so Miley yalks ish about someone who won’t say anything.
So true. BBHMM is way worse than Bad Blood. Miley is just going after the easier target.
Miley loves Rihanna tho. She would never come after her.
The whole point was picking a video that wasn’t perceived controversial, but had violent elements. Otherwise the comparison doesn’t make sense. She’s saying having guns is apparently more acceptable than having visible boobs.
BBHMM also had nudity, so it would make even less sense in this context.
No opinion on the bad blood video either but totally agree guns are worse then boobs. Everytime. Miley is right on that.
This is like the 400th time Miley has compared herself to Taylor. Lol, never forget when she retweeted a picture saying “Miley has had 3 boyfriends in 5 years, and she’s a slut. Taylor Swift has had 13 and she’s a good role model”. She’s starting to seem really bitter.
Wouldn’t you? Taytay has had more men in her life than Miley, yet who gets slutshamed? TC has manipulated the media with the “good girl” image.
There is something about all those “good girls” that just doesn’t ring true.. pull back the veil and there is a truth there that people don’t want to see. Well it takes time for the public to see the real of these “good girls”.. then the backlash happens.
I rather deal with the “bad girl”.. she doesn’t have far to fall from grace; and the view upward is always better.
Meh. And you think Miley’s image isn’t PR driven? She is the one that chose her path and her image. She likes to shock. Maybe, the public reacted differently than she thought they would and now she’s unhappy about.
On another note, she looks absolutely gorgeous in all of these pictures!
@MrsB: Agreed.
ETA: Not a fan of Swiftie or Cyrus by any means but…Cyrus does make a good point. I just can’t help but feel that she is using the great Swifty backlash of 2015 as an excuse to bring more attention to herself. The thing is, Swift is a meangirl and the chickens have come home to roost!…love it!.
It doesn’t matter how many men have been in Taylor’s life. Neither Taylor or Miley should be slutshamed. That’s what Miley should be preaching instead. This is why I can’t take celebrity feminism seriously.
@bns: To be fair though, she has been arguing for a while that NOBODY should be shamed for their sexuality. It was mainly people interested in fueling another girl vs. girl fan-war who miss the point and turn it into “So Taylor is a…..”. Just like with the Jennifer Lawrence thing when her pics were leaked.
“This is like the 400th time Miley has compared herself to Taylor. Lol, never forget when she retweeted a picture saying “Miley has had 3 boyfriends in 5 years, and she’s a slut. Taylor Swift has had 13 and she’s a good role model”. She’s starting to seem really bitter….”
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Thirsty. Just down right parched.
If there is one person, who is thirsty as hell for any and all media attention… it is Miley.
She has been flashing her bits since she was 15. No one thought Miley would make it to her 18 birthday, before she showed all…. that the good lord gave her. Geez, she had a live-in, over 21 year old boyfriend in her house, before she was 18. She has done nothing but act out… for everyone to see… for the last 7-8 years.
And why has she? Maybe…. Miley has the need to be the center of attention, at all times.
I suspect that feeds into her all consuming dislike for Swift. And she seems to be p*ssed that flashing those boobs, are not remotely interesting to anyone any more. Or the tongue… or the tattoo’s.
But Swift’s good girl act, is keeping all the attention. That must sting like hell.
Good grief Miley got on live TV and dry hump Robin Thicke. In a nude color two piece, bathing suit looking outfit. With her tongue hanging out. How is that not the thirsty girl on there on the stroll?
But what Miley has found out…. no one is looking at her. Nor do they care too.
She needs a new direction in her PR campaign, for attention. Because the one she has been running for years…. seems to bore the media to tears. And no one even wants to look her shenanigans anymore.
Sigh. I knew that someone would pull the “Mean mean Miley is just jealous of our Untouchable Fair Maiden!” card.
Honey, ALL of these pop stars are seeking attention, even (and definitely) Taylor Swift. The issue is that Miley’s immodesty hurts your (and other people’s) Traditional Values Feel Feels, so you will attack someone like Miley, Rihanna, etc. for attention-seeking, but not Taylor Swift and the like because they conform to your standard of ‘chaste, classy, ladylike’ image. Your problem is not that celebrities seek attention, because you’ll tolerate the ones who attention-seek as long as you’re okay with their image. You just want them to be attention-seekers while still maintaining a palatable image for you. I’d say Miley and Taylor both get plenty of media attention.
By the way, that boyfriend you mentioned was 20, not over 21. I don’t see your comment as anything more than shaming dressed up in concern-trolling rhetoric though, because I doubt you have any concern over the fact that Lorde started dating a 22-year-old when she was 16 or 17, that Demi dated a 20-year-old Jonas brother at 16, or that Selena dated a teenager when she was 20, or that Taylor Swift dated someone who was either 17 or 18 when she was like 22. This isn’t about concern over young adults dating someone 3 or 4 years older or younger than them, this is about your problem with a woman not conforming to ‘modesty’.
Miley was a child star; Hannah Montana was a juggernaut. A lot of people made a lot of money on her sweet, down home image, including her parents, and she was managed for years. The pressure on that girl must have been immense, and she was regularly raked across the coals for being “annoying” or whatnot. She is now 22 and has taken control of her own image and her own career, and seems to not only have done that fairly well but has avoided the biggest pitfalls of child stardom. And yet we rake her across the coals still?
“@ Otaku Fairy…. Sigh. I knew that someone would pull the “Mean mean Miley is just jealous of our Untouchable Fair Maiden!” card.
Honey, ALL of these pop stars are seeking attention, even (and definitely) Taylor Swift. The issue is that Miley’s immodesty hurts your (and other people’s) Traditional Values Feel Feels, so you will attack someone like Miley, Rihanna, etc. for attention-seeking, but not Taylor Swift and the like because they conform to your standard of ‘chaste, classy, ladylike’ image. Your problem is not that celebrities seek attention, because you’ll tolerate the ones who attention-seek as long as you’re okay with their image. You just want them to be attention-seekers while still maintaining a palatable image for you….”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well bless your heart!
My point was… that Miley is only harping…. cause she has not figured out she needs a new plan.
There is no “slut shaming” coming from me.
So pick a new angle of attack. There is nothing exciting about seeing anyone tits constantly. I have own… thankyouverymuch…
My point was… and still remains.. is Miley has always had a desperate need to been seen. She wants to be seen as edgy! Hard core! She needs to be “the one” to follow! A trailblazer!
All I have ever really seen from her… is her need to copy Madonna with all the naked shenanigans. And all these years later… Madonna is still showing all her bits, to anyone who will look. She seemed not to have grown past her 1984 PR campaign.
And I suspect Miley will not grown past 2009, if she does not change her PR campaign.
Maybe Miley can find her a new calling… besides sitting around being mad… that another female has a better PR machine.
And lets not drag any other female singers into this conversation. I spoke of Miley. So dragging Rihanna into is not called for…
Not before she was 18, even much before, she was reportedly living with one of her boyfriends before Liam appeared. Her parents were very permissive, I bet they had to keep the bread-winner happy.
I dislike her crass image and drug related lyrics.
Your punctuation is cracking me up and thus I read your post in Christopher Walkins voice ^_^ Also, I totally disagree with you hahah
The message surrounding that wasn’t that people should start sexually bullying Taylor Swift. The message was that it shouldn’t be happening anyway, whether the woman in question presents modestly or not.
Her liking that post is such bullshit, especially when she keeps preaching about being a feminist. Both Taylor and Miley are full of shit.
The only thing I have to say about this is that “Miley Cyrus” (this interview) was trending on Facebook earlier this morning and I was completely, COMPLETELY HORRIFIED, with the comments I was reading.
“She sells her body”
“At least Taylor doesn’t do drugs”
“Miley the slut is one to talk about role models when she’s always naked in revealing clothing”
“Would rather have Taylor as a role model for children than this whore”
“Taylor is a classy young lady while Miley is “easy””
@sarah see this is what I hate. I dislike Miley (I do have a soft spot for her though) and I would NEVER say that. I wouldn’t say that about TSwift either. Yeah Miley sounds ridiculous and ignorant of her own mistakes. But she’s also not lying in the kind of awful attacks (that’s not criticism dummies) she receives.
Forget about slut shaming. I personally don’t give a crap about how many partners someone sleeps with. Their business. However, whose behavior is irresponsible and, I suppose, inappropriate? I have nothing against either woman, but if I had a daughter I would be more concerned about her taking social cues from Miley than Taylor.
But isn’t Taylor’s song “Bad Blood” (and her songs Mean and Better Than Revenge) basically teaching young girls-who are her target audience and def worship her (I have little cousins) being taught that if someone just looks at your bf, or a friend does you wrong or says something that you take personally, that it’s okay/cool if not encouraged to get your revenge, because “they had it coming” and “deserve it”? I don’t love Miley or Taylor I’m just looking at this as a weird grey area.
I’d much rather my daughter take her cues from Miley’s life choices and messages (body confidence, love, peace, generosity and genuine kindness to everybody whoever they are, taking control of her own choices and owning them, doing right with her bully pulpit and money). Taylor strikes me as a mean girl, competitive, insecure, greedy, narcissistic and hypocritical, truth to tell.
allie – yes!.. I’m 100% with you. I was thinking the same thing right before I read your words.
Yep. More and more people are calling out Swifty. Good.
All these ‘feuds’ are SO IMMATURE! It’s depressing that this is going on among grown women who seem intent on acting like 11 year olds.
Answering a question in an interview about important issues is not acting like an 11-year-old starting a feud.
Well I hate Crazy Cat Lady so IMO Miley has a point.
Taylor is immature, always eager to be the lead of a “clique”. She thinks she’s still in high school.
And that Bad Blood video is pure crap. Miley may be vulgar sometimes and all but she doesn’t spread HATE against her other music colleagues. Taylor on the other hand is a lunatic , spoiled brat who declares war against whoever doesn’t like her.
“Not sure how t–s are worse than guns.” Well said Miley.
She looks great, I love the cover dress on her. She made a lot of sense in the interview.
Totes agree. She’s giving me Twiggy vibes in these photos and I think she looks really, really attractive. And that cover dress is a work of art in itself. It’s like medieval meets mod. I like.
The Marie Claire pictures are lovely, she looks great. I love that dress she is wearing for the cover.
ETA – just read Shambles comment – her description of the dress are spot on
Sure I am in the minority here but I infinitely prefer Miley over Taylor, she is messy and problematic but I think her heart is somewhere in the right place.
And yes, boobs > than guns.
Agreed. And I think it’s probably a little frustrating for some pop stars that they get constantly dragged for every little thing they do, but Taylor gets a pass and is typically praised. I’d throw some shade too if I was in their position.
I have a soft spot for Miley too. I don’t love everything she does, and she comes across as immensely silly at times, but you can see the humanity underneath it all.
I feel that way about her too.
I agree Kiddo. I’m often commenting on Miley posts defending her (and Swift, too.. for different reasons) because I really don’t find her all that offensive. She’s silly, immature, and pulls some outrageous stunts on stage but there’s a really sensitive person underneath that. Miley is about as real as you can get, nothing fake here with her.
As far as Swift goes, the woman is brilliant but her image is perfectly crafted.
…as if the “humanity” underneath couldn’t be just another contrived act?
Girl, please.
Agreed~I also have a soft spot for her. She makes a very valid point about why she gets attacked for nudity, but other musicians get no flack whatsoever for the much worse violence~implied or explicit~and much more dangerous lifestyle aspects they depict.
Miley seems like a nicer person. I don’t care for any of them…I don’t like/ enjoy their music. I think the problem is TS has watched Mean Girls too many times. She needs to grow up. The revenge girl type is so off putting.
@Tammy
Hahahahhahha “Miley is as real as you can get” girl by you must live in a rainbow coved world if you believe that. Miley is just as fake as the rest of them.
Me too. Miley is not mean, she seems to respect others and has always been polite to fans. She loves the attention, but I think she doesn’t want to be adored, unlike TS.
Miley had a squeaky clean image for yeas, and when she got of age, she pushed the boundaries. Yes, probably too far, bu she sounds very level-headed now, especially about the things that bring you real happiness. And she adopts dogs, cats and horses. She has a big heart and seems like a kind person. Unlike TS, who puts forth a lily white image, but then pumps out hatred and bullying.
To me both are terrible, in different ways. I still can’t forget her bullying Sinead O’Connor in 2013.
Her bullying was awful, but so was Sinead’s victim-blaming and whorephobia that a lot of people glossed over. Later on, although it didn’t make as many headlines as her letters to Miley, she went on another slut-shaming rant where she even went as far as to imply that parents should make their ADULT daughters dress modestly and said she doesn’t care about women’s right to do what they want with their bodies.
Boy she really is boring.
Like chicken without the spices
Miley made a lot of good points here.
The ‘problem’ is that Miley doesn’t want to play the game. She doesn’t want to fit the mold, dress like a stereotypically pulled together pretty lady. If she did (went back to the long hair, bland but nice) the media would cover her favorably again for those superficial changes.
That’s kind of the Cara coverage. Cara is a wild child, but every now and then she has to do fashion or movie promos, and she dresses very typically pretty lady and largely gets a pass for her behavior.
Please Mily is playing the game just like the others. She may not fit into the G”irl next store” mold like Talyer but she fits the “bad girl” mold.
What does she mean by feeling like a 15 year old boy? Is she transgender too?
LOL… No, she’s saying she feels like her body looks like a 15 year old boy. Not like the body of a 22 year old woman.
i thought she was saying that he feels like she’ feels she’s expressing herself 15 year old boy and that she was being judged by overlaid societal expectations of a young women.
That’s a posibility as well.
Well perhaps she’ll clarify…
I think she said she is agender or gender-fluid (sorry don’t remember).
Miley is not going to use the backlash against Taylor to make us forget how gross and racist she was in 2013.
Someone pointed out that Miley confuses Kendrick Lamar (an anti-drug advocate) with A$AP Rocky (who has a song called LSD). I thought you were hood and down Miley? How can you not know the difference between Kendrick and A$AP when they rap about completely different things? I guess she’s over her black phase. She’s a hippy now.
THIS^
Ugh.
Lol, I remember her retweeting comments with the n-word in them. Trying to be a white Rihanna. Trash. To be honest, Miley and Taylor are minimally talented and are calculated and PR driven. So, Miley STFU.
Yup, the truth right here has been spoken!
I’m not going to cheer on Miley when she leaves out her racism out of the discussion. When she doesn’t reflect on her own actions, she shouldn’t be pointing fingers at other ‘artists’.
She tried to not only maintain her pop position but gain fans in black people. And she was very calculated about it too. This girl wants to stay famous and have more money just like any other star yet she is lamenting about money like she doesn’t realise that she herself is happily taking part in the moneymaking machine. It’s funny how she is fronting now like she ain’t about that life!
For as much as she is learning about homeless youths and LGBTQ community, she is still painfully unaware of her cultural appropriation tactics for moneymaking purposes.
@Artemis- And let’s be real, Miley still has a lot of problems with being racial sensitive. Especially when she’s called out on it.
EXACTLY. Railing against the money grab after spending years participating in it herself. GTFO.
this x1000
She actually makes some good points in this article so I’ll give her props for that. But yeah, she was extremely problamatic in 2013 into 2014 when it came to race. I just hope she evolves enough to see that some day.
How old is Miley? 22? So she was 20 years when she was being “gross” and saying racist stuff? I will get to the racist statements in a minute and her appropriation (or attempt) of hip hop. Be judgy all you want about her antics but at least she wasn’t pretending to be something she wasn’t. She has an excellent point about exposing her boobs is supposedly worse than guns.. it’s not. If you are going to attack her and not any other female or male artist that uses their sexuality to sell music then you are a hypocrite.
Her lack of awareness of what she was doing with appropriation of black culture was disturbing to say the least. I honestly thought she was trying to be cool and it backfired on her. Her retweeting statements with the n word in them was an attempt to be edgy, cool… but it made it her look foolish and racist. At least I hope it was because there is hope that she can evolve from it.
I don’t get the contradiction in your statements. You start out with saying she wasn’t pretending to be something she wasn’t, but then acknowledge her cultural appropriation, which is essentially the very definition of adopting a persona/appearance/mannerism wholly unnatural for the sake of trying to present it as her genuine self and how she truly experiences her world and expresses herself. Even if she did have some misguided belief that it was just about being cool, it still highlights that she jumped on a bandwagon and her entire schtick was about emulation (including the retweets). So then, how exactly was she not pretending to be something she wasn’t?
She definitely had a cultural appropriation problem. It does seem though like more people are talking about appropriation within the past 2 years or so than ever before, so people have more of a chance to learn what the problem is surrounding it. If you had tried to talk to me about cultural appropriation back in like 2012, I wouldn’t have had a clue what it was and thought that the argument was racism all by itself. I had never even heard of the idea before. Miley doesn’t think of herself as promoting anything racist, but her being white allows her to use elements of black culture without being exposed to the same risks or disdain that an actual black person would. Her comments in one of her recent interviews shows she has learned to acknowledge that as a rich white person, she has privilege that lets her be more open than a poor, black, transgender woman would. So maybe she and other celeb who have participated in cultural appropriation can grow on this too.
DING DING DING
And black rappers are painted as more villainous and dangerous in the media than white pop stars who show off their tits, so she can fk off with that comparison anyway
Let’s not forget the way she went unchecked after she repeatedly mocked Nicki Minaj and her ‘Anaconda’ video.
I like her and she makes some good points but…
It’s hard to listen to someone so young talk about money when she and we know she will never have to worry about money.
Yes she admits she’s been there and it doesn’t bring happiness – but who said people are working working working for the same idea of happiness as she? Most of us want to pay our bills and buy a dream house or dream car.
She’s honest and I think she’s evolving as she grows – I just can’t help but roll my eyes about the money/happiness part. She has the financial freedom to really see out happiness and explore happiness. That’s truly a luxury.
YES!!!!
It sounds like she has been unhappy in spite of the wealth. Maslow’s hierarchy in play.
I think this was a slam at Taylor too. Taylor did make a lot of business related moves to ensure she got her music on the platforms she approved of and whatnot. Seems like it’s something related to that.
If she starts rescuing horses, hope she gets folks involved who know what they are doing and realizes that she may have said rescues for years. I can appreciate good intentions, but those are enough, esp with horses.
She grew up on a large farm in Tennessee, with horses, and her family still owns one. She’d certainly be better set up to help rescue horses than most.
Again – why it has to be either/or? When she describes this issue like that – of course guns are worse than naked breasts, but it’s an incredibly biased way of putting it. Another argument would be that Miley’s way of glorifying destructive behaviors is much worse than Taylor’s immature blind item songs and so on. Looking at the bigger picture – they are both bad examples, but for different reasons. Taylor is a vindictive high school mean girl, Miley is a total mess, who thinks that being naked and doing drugs makes her oh, so empowered, when she is in fact doing it all for attention. And singing about doing drugs is never cool – it doesn’t matter who does it.
I’m not comparing their singing but do you ever wonder if Miley is the next P!nk? She seems crazy as shit now but ten years down the line when Taylor and say Katy Perry are in rehab and getting arrested like Britney and Christina she’s still just chugging along doing her thing?
Not to say that I think T Swift or Katy Perry will go that route but I just think it’s funny how people and situations turn out sometimes. (Funny odd, not funny hilarious.)
I never paid much attention to her music, but she does a cut on a Dylan tribute album I have and she’s really good. She can sing.
I saw her perform “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” on the SNL 40th anniversary show and I was blown away by how good she is.
Well, this is why I love P!nk. I will say this, any mediocre selling themselves attention for fame and fortune (yes I am talking about Rihanna, Katy Perry and the rest of these untalented pop stars) are really making a strong impression is nothing compared to P!nk. To me P!nk is the one who is badass, not Rihanna, Katy Perry nor Taylor Swift.
And Miley has a point, she just pointed out that people are praising Childish and foolish gestures other pop singers to make a difference, but to me this is stupid and immature.
Pink is really the best among them, even if sometimes she really seemed very jealous.
She’s making some solid points about t**ies versus guns.
But, I want to talk about her cover! That’s the best she has looked in a long time!!
That is a good cover! The only thing though is that on my monitor it kinda looks like she has hose on? Hope it’s just a filter. r
That red coat. I want it.
Oh god. I’m starting to like Miley again. Her remark on bad blood is on point.
Oh, Miley, Miley…as if your shenanigans is a good example.
This is the first time I’ve actually paid attention to a Miley interview and I felt like she made good points. She is totally correct that rappers and male artists in general get away with writing/performing songs about drugs and sex while she has been labeled a druggie whore.
I also agree with her comments on Taylor Swift’s video. Taylor has achieved this status with the media and critics where she can do no wrong. Miley makes a great point when she points out that her boobs should be a lot less offensive to people than a gaggle of pop stars running around with guns. I’m loving everyone who is calling Taylor Swift out because as noted on this site repeatedly, she’s a “feminist” only when it works in her favor or comes to herself, and she really seems to have this twisted mindset of “be my friend or else.” She lost me when she had no sense of humor about being called out about writing songs about all of her exes and proved that she takes herself way too seriously. My opinion of Taylor continues to get worse and she acts more and more immaturely.
I think Miley Cyrus is trying to be the Joan Jett or Patti Smith of the younger generation. I’m not trying to compare her to them or claim she has the same talent or skill, but they were women who marched to the of their own drum and I think Miley really wants to be that kind of woman. I’m not going to knock her for that because I think more people should be that way.
Decent interview, i like this girl and believe she can reach further more if she concentrate on her art. I do like her voice .
I like the way they styled her here. It might not be the smartest move for her to criticize Taylor in any way though. Anyone who criticizes her is automatically dismissed as either jealous, immature, or just fame-hungry, even if what they say is valid. She didn’t even say anything mean or nasty about Taylor, but you already know that this is and will be turned into “Mean, mean Miley is just jealous of The Untouchable Fair Maiden!” card. I like what she said in the rest of the interview about people feeling like they need a palatable, “conventional role model” and her “not caring to be that person.”
@OF: I understand what you mean, and I think it’s wonderful that she didn’t let that stop her. I’m not really a fan yet, but everytime I read/watch an interview with her, I like her a bit more. She seems straightforward, kind, honest, and real. When I think about TS on the other hand, quite a few elementary things – like friendships, loyalty, integrity, vacation pictures, smiles, display of affection or appreciation, and more – feel empty. I’m no fan of Swift’s, so I don’t care much – meaning I’m not going, ‘I like Taylor, I just wish she would do this instead of that because then I’d like her even more’. No. There is only one thing I feel strongly about: the bully attitude. That’s an ugly, resentful feature, and I think it’s even worse when that trait is used for attention, furthermore gets applauded and adapted by impressionable people who don’t know any better. Propagating this behavior doesn’t make anyone come off as in charge, sophisticated or supreme, if that’s what she was going for. In the end that person just comes off as someone who’s missing a few major points in life. I wish TS some more happiness, and I thank Miley for being blunt (pun intended).
Not that any of these calculated, contrived media characters are good role models, but given the choice for my 12-year-old daughter, I pick Taylor over Miley six days a week and twice on Sunday. You can be pro-sisterhood without including all females but you can’t be pro- freedom and acceptance while lying about your own song lyrics.
So this is a rant. It is not directed at you Size Does Matter, just at society.
It kind of makes my blood boil that the whole “role model” thing is even a consideration for female stars. ANY female star. It’s ALWAYS said about them. I love Jlaw because she’s a great role model for young girls, I love Taylor Swift because she’s a great role model for young girls, I love Miley because she’s…oh wait I don’t love her anymore because she’s a terrible role model for young girls, I love Emma Watson because she’s a great role model for young girls. blah blah blah blah.
Do you (not you Size Does Matter, but the royal you) consider Daniel Radcliffe a good role model for young boys? What about Miles Teller? Justin Bieber? Chris Brown? Josh Hutcherson? Liam Hemsworth? Sean Penn? Brad Pitt? Nicholas Holt? And all those other teenybopper starlets.
It feels like we consider young women so stupid and incapable of figuring out their life and are SO manipulated by hollywood that they’re in dire need of a good role model to look too. That they are incapable of listening to Miley, liking her music, and seperating the artist from the person. Or that enjoying an artist that is “bad” is a cause for whatever they’re going through. No, it can just possibly be a phase and simply a symptom of whatever issue or feeling they might have. Or they simply enjoy it and it’s really not the devil trying to get up in here. It feels like a prominent example of what Mindy Kaling said in her essay. That we don’t worry about young boys brushing their teeth, but we’ll watch our daughter with worried expressions and cheer her on for brushing her teeth because…even doing that is hard for young women.
And frankly the role model thing is utterly limiting for these women. It perpetuates that dichotomy of good girl versus bad girl. And encourages female competition into something that is useless. They (personally) can think about how their actions might influence young women and occasionally choose to do that, but overall they aren’t required to be “good” or “bad” role models. And I’m just exhausted that we continue to try and and perpetuate that. It doesn’t so much build up young girls and encourage them as give them another ridiculous standard to live up to.
Well said Korra! (Love the name btw, avatar fan?)
We as a society keep infantalizing girls and expecting like clueless lemmings that they need a female celebrity to be a cardboard cutout of purity and personality in order to appeal to them. Like Taylor or Miley’s music but they’re both contrived messes living on the dollars off the dollars of the population.
@Side Eye Yup! Avatar all the way.
Honestly, it’s a complicated topic. I get that women go through such horrible crap by society. But this role model thing doesn’t really encourage many types of women. It encourages the tearing down of females because there will always be one that doesn’t fill that role. I definitely have been known to tear some women down and be a massive b-tch about some of them (sorry kiki I’m one of those people that probably expects too much from a celeb), but I hate celebrity fawning and the mediocrity we encourage in general. That’s typically where I try to focus my criticism. I tend to be forgiving of women (all though I was very unforgiving of Watson recently) because of the crap they have to go through in this industry than I do of the men. Considering how much I hate celebrity crap why I like coming here I’ll never know…. Actually yes, I do. This site actually has solid and well written commentary on a variety of issues. So rather the question is why I like reading about celebs I’ll never know.
I detest the fact that men don’t have the expectation of being good role models. And that it is NEVER a thing that’s said about them, but lmao they still get cookies for being basic. Like Skarsgard and how some people fawned about his talk on feminism and that’s just the most prominent example in recent memory.
Very true. It’s like boys can look up to scientists, or even the president, but girls? they should aspire to be like Beyonce, take their clothes off, and never do bad things because then they won’t be pretty and likeable.
I love everything you said, Korra. What I hate the most about the whole ‘role model’ thing we do to female celebrities is not just the fact that it’s unhealthy and unrealistic to encourage putting people on a pedestal like that and trying to make them live up to these false, idealized images for the masses…. it’s the fact that our definition of ‘role model’ for women is so dehumanizing and reductive.
We (and I’m not saying ‘we’ specifically) don’t really care enough about what kind of person a female celebrity is, how she treats and views others, her talent, or whether or not she is for or against the kind of progressive values that our society needs. The main criteria for judging whether or not a woman is a good role model or a bad one across the board seems to be how chastely or wholesomely she presents herself- in other words, whether or not she refrains from making choices with her body that we’ve been socialized to disapprove of.
And that is problematic as hell, because it goes right back to basing female value on sexual modesty. You’re right that it’s a double standard. We don’t tell the male celebrities, “Hey, you’re a bad role model because you went half naked in a Calvin Klein ad or took on a sexual movie role or took pics of your dick ring or went naked on instagram, or sent nude pics to your girlfriend, or naked for your album cover, etc.” It’s ok for Adam Levine to strip down on his album cover, but not Nicki Minaj. It was ok for Cole Sprouse to send dick pics to whoever he was with, but Vanessa Hudgens got called a wh*re and a bad role model for her nude pics. Some even said nasty things about Jennifer Lawrence when her pics were hacked too.
It also shows a sense of entitlement and a collective belief that another woman’s body is something we should be making decisions about- people feel entitled to police what these young women do with their bodies both in public and in private. “How dare this young female celebrity do something with HER OWN body that I happen to disapprove of! Bad Role Model! I’ve sime for me to grab my torches, pitchforks, book of victim-blaming rhetoric, and misogynistic slurs! Let me verbally abuse her because I should be able to!”
You’re also right about the whole role model thing being limiting too. Because even when Taylor- whose style has been conservative-to-average most of the time- decided to mix it up a little bit and do one video where she was dressed a little sexier, a feminist blogger turned that choice into A Problem and even called for stars to be banned from dressing immodestly. Literally calling for it to be banned!
Miley still doesn’t get it. It is not about her flashing her boobs. A lot of criticism stems from her choice to engage in cultural appropriation. She can take off the new persona she has created at any time and no one will really say much about it. But if someone like Jennifer Hudson started doing that, they would not be able stop and just quickly go back. Beyonce gets bizarre attacks for singing about sex with her spouse. But in typical Miley fashion, she does not get her massive privilege to behave the way she does.
They both (Miley and Beyonce) get nasty criticism and ridiculous “She can’t be a feminist” commentary for not submitting to modesty. But white privilege does protect Miley, in that there’s not an added racial layer to it. Miley gets criticism from misogynistic prudes who feel that women are obligated to conform to a certain standard of sexual modesty in their image, but Beyoncé, sadly, gets extra criticism on top of that because of her gender AND race. People will imply that she shouldn’t be doing that not only because she’s a woman, but because she’s a BLACK WOMAN. Two white male republican politicians have already attacked her, and Bill O’Reilly specifically made it about her being a black woman.
Unfortunately it’s not just GOP types who will give white male celebrities a pass on being sexual in songs, movies, photoshoots, etc. but will attack women- and especially women of color-for doing the same. There are still left-leaning people who don’t realize that any time you use someone’s being a woman or their not being white as a reason for why they shouldn’t be doing something they have the right to do, you are being sexist and/or racist. If Channing, Adam, Kevin Bacon. Calvin Harris, Justin Bieber, and the countless male singers who sing about sex are not ‘trash and anti-feminist’ for their open sexuality, than neither are Miley, Beyoncé, Amber Rose, or Rita Ora.
Both of them need to be smacked with the reality stick.
Taylor needs to stop pushing the teenage Stepford Wife image and trying to convince everyone how good/nice/friendly/feminist she is all while destroying them in her songs.
Miley needs to also decide who she is and not use different minority groups as a way to package and supplement her own lack of identity and personality.
Tbh I don’t much care for phoniness. I see a lot of parents gush about how they’re happy to have someone like Taylor for their kids to listen to. However, one of the things we learn in life is when someone is hiding cruelty behind a smile and callousness behind a facade. I’d rather someone be a jerk, be honest with it and be able to declare them a jerk then watch them carry on pretending to be a saint until the other shoe drops. That to me makes for a messier explanation to your kids.
That parody video is LOL and so true. It was only a matter of time before Taylor would get called out. Since she likes to bake and has cats the media and general public thinks she’s Little Miss Perfect. When Taylor inserted herself in the Nicki Minaj convo people realized how hypocritical and egotistical she can be. She’s not headed for a downfall but I don’t think people are afraid to criticize her anymore. Miley makes some good points but she’s so disgusting.
At times, she irks me to the point of my eyes are sore from rolling. However, she makes a good point.
That cover dress is GORGEOUS!
Miley sounds jealous
It’s revealing that Miley compares herself to ANYONE AT ALL. It must be a narcissistic know-it-all attitude underneath her comment about Taylor. Considering just how low Miley will go to get money, fans, attention — to turn around and point a finger at anyone — you just have to wonder… what does she have for brains?
Taylor has talent. End of story. What does Miley have?
Miley has talent too or did you not listen to her cover on SNL of Paul Simon, “50 ways to leave your lover?”
I don’t see it as Miley comparing herself to Taylor at all but rather she gets criticism for flashing her boobs but Taylor doesn’t for promoting violence in her video.
are we saying this song is “good” or just “good for her?” because she sounds very nasal to me. and most of it is pretty much talk singing like rex harrison in my fair lady.
no one would turn their chair for this
Miley can sing. Taylor has a good Team around her but she can’t really sing for S***.
they are both mediocre singers on a good day
but swifty does write music people like, it’s not my jam but a lot of people seem to like it
Lol whatever. Miley is just as full of shit as Taylor. She’s right about the guns vs T&A thing, but even a broken clock is right twice a day.
two words Terry Richardson… bad move Miley
Obama was chummy with him and posed with him too. So did Jared Leto. I don’t think all these public figures have the info about him.
Well, at least SHE makes sense. When she wants she can speak properly and say right things!
I don’t think the comparison is valid. Bad Blood is tropey fantasy violence. Taylor’s not walking around armed to the teeth. Miley has chosen to emphasize her sexuality and it permeates her professional and personal lives. It makes her more of a target as tiresome as that can be.
Taylor songs have caused a lot of harm. That poor girl Camilla Belle, who got very graphic tweets about her dying and being a slut just because Taylor didn’t like her dating one of her exes.
That was awful, the poor girl was 16.
Camilla was in her early 20’s when the song came out from what I understand. Not 16.
@wrinkled ….yeah because it’s so much less disheartening and scary to receive such things in your 20s. Swift’s full of sh-t. So people can get off of Miley trying to use the Swift backlash to voice her opinions. Because it’s not like Swift has VERY MUCH done the same time and time and time and time again.
And yes Miley. You still have problematic things you need to get taken care of. But you’re not the only one who needs to.
those are the most unfortunate caps ive ever seen
she cant even close her mouth over them
I’m pretty neutral about Miley most of the time. She’s a well meaning idiot to me. But I have to say I LOVE THE COVER. She looks great! Very Edie Sedgewick.
This girl grew up rich so it’s easy for her to say that sh*t about money. She never had to struggle or worry about it.
I took it to mean she was talking about other already wealthy singers, not regular people. At least that’s how I hope she meant it.
She sounds like someone who will refuse to grow up because she simply doesn’t need to. When you need to study, get a job to support yourself, you don’t have this wild child shit. Still, I think she has a point about money worship.
If she’s so disenchanted by fame and money, why doesn’t she go away? Leave the industry?
So tired of that played-out duck lip look with the dead eyes. Just, no.
i think miley gets a lot of flack for what she does because a lo of it feels forced. i dont think anyone truly believes that her desire to be topless and do drugs and make music about partying is just miley being her true self. thats the difference between her and kendrick. if kendrick raps about doing drugs its not because he’s doing it to fit some kind of mold or prove to people that he’s changed, its because thats just how he lives. i honestly think this is a phase and shes trying to figure out who she is.
seems to me that Miley just needs some press so she’s looking to cash in on feuds with Swifty … But she misses the intellectual distinction- the Bad Blood video (even if thinly veiled) is clearly meant to be camp, fake and fantasy. Miley clearly wants to sexualize her self serioulsy- in a misguided attempt to shed her former career focus. Miley’s entire persona is about tits and ass. She exposes her self to be exposed. Taylor made a campy cheeky video that was probably mean spirited, but done in homage to movies, and not intended as a real expression of her persona.
completely different.