Miley Cyrus gives inspiring speech at 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, shares how ‘fake’ persona gave her confidence

LOS ANGELES: If you open X or Instagram, you’re likely to come across videos of Miley Cyrus, as the pop star has been making waves recently with the 20th anniversary special of Hannah Montana and her latest appearance at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

Last night was special for Miley as she was honoured as an innovator at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Upon receiving the award, Miley delivered a powerful speech, reflecting on her career. In her speech, she talked about how “fake” persona helped her build confidence, as per People magazine.

“[Hannah Montana] inspired me so much in my own career”, the singer said while accepting the Innovator Award. “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 added. Closing out her speech, she cheekily referenced a song from the Disney Channel series: “This really is the life.”

“I’ve always written songs and stories because I love it and winning awards for that work is of course rewarding but not my compass. This is the life”

– Miley Cyrus on stage at the iHeartRadio Music Awards pic.twitter.com/0MePfdh1jQ

— Miley Official (@MileyCyrusBz) March 27, 2026

Earlier this week, Miley reunited with the cast of Hannah Montana at the world premiere of Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special. Miley was all smiles as she posed for the shutterbugs. For the special night, she donned a sparkling silver gown with a white T-shirt that featured a picture of her Hannah Montana character, an ode to the iconic show and her journey.

She was joined on the carpet by the show’s original cast members, including Jason Earles, Moises Arias, Cody Linley, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle and Shanica Knowles.

‘Hannah Montana’ was originally premiered in 2006 and ran across four seasons until 2011. The show received much love from the audience, becoming a fan favourite among the kids and teenagers. It even won four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Children’s Program.

‘Hannah Montana’ followed the tale of Miley Stewart – a teenager from Malibu, California, who doubles as the famous pop singer Hannah Montana. The show even spawned a film titled ‘Hannah Montana: The Movie’, which came out in theatres in April 2009. (ANI)