Miley Cyrus, previously known as Hannah Montana, was the type of girl that parents didn’t mind their children idolizing.  Cyrus was the total package; on one hand, many considered her a talented performer, and on the other hand, parents couldn’t deny how well behaved, beautiful, and confident she seemed.  For this reason, it made sense that most people weren’t ready for Hannah Montana to end.  It also made sense that – in contrast – Cyrus was.

Stephanie. Weblog entry. Hello,Hannie. .

Fast forward to November 2013, and Cyrus has donned an entirely new persona.  She chopped off her curly locks and opted for a disheveled, bleach blonde pixie cut; she ended her 4-year relationship with Liam Hemsworth, to the dismay of many fans; she adopted a new attitude where she’s unafraid to stick her tongue out at the world; and, quite frankly, she’s being herself.  Obviously, this has resulted in a plethora of criticism, and it’s hard to deny how controversial Cyrus has become.  From adopting ratchet culture to twerking up against Robin Thicke at the VMAs, Cyrus has been the talk of the town.  With that said, Cyrus’s music video for “Wrecking Ball” – her latest scandal – has been criticized for its sexual content.  While most people rub off Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” video as inappropriate, I consider it a further example of just how successful Cyrus has become.

Although it’s safe to assume that most people have seen the “Wrecking Ball” music video by now, it is still imperative to give a brief outline of the recording.  The video begins with a close-up on Cyrus’s face.  This shot lasts for a solid 30 seconds, and Cyrus simply stares into the camera as a few tears roll down her face.  When the chorus starts, the shot finally switches to what seems to be an empty room – with the exception of a sledgehammer and, of course, the infamous wrecking ball – and Cyrus surrounded by four walls.  As expected, Cyrus takes the sledgehammer to the walls and attempts to break them down, all the while only wearing a white bra and panty.  Later, in the second verse, Cyrus is swinging on the wrecking ball naked,  “breaking down more walls,” and this is followed by a shot of her licking the sledgehammer – arguably, the most controversial part of the music video.

Bowers, Joe.  “Michigan University Removes Wrecking Ball After Miley Cyrus Tomfoolery.”  Starpulse. 19 September 2013.  Web.  2 December 2013. .

Of course, it’s impossible to give a thorough explanation of the “Wrecking Ball” music video, but the most important thing to take away from it is that people are outraged – or maybe just disgusted – over Cyrus’s nudity and use of the sledgehammer.  In contrast, Cyrus reveals, “I think the video is much more, if people get past the point that I’m naked and you actually look at me […] You can tell that I actually look more broken than even the song sounds” (Dodge).  Obviously, this is a logical explanation of the video, in that Cyrus is ‘breaking down walls,’ all the while, ‘naked.’  Yet, it’s hard to argue with critics who believe that there were better ways for Cyrus to approach the making of “Wrecking Ball.”

One idea emerges again and again, and it’s that people can’t get over the licentiousness of the “Wrecking Ball” music video.  Furthermore, parents are in an outrage over Cyrus’s supposedly newfound vulgarity.  However, most people have failed to realize that this criticism is really not hurting Cyrus; in fact, it’s doing the exact opposite.

Buchanan, Kyle.  “Miley Cyrus Is Our March Cover Girl!” Cosmopolitan December 2013: A1.  Cosmopolitan.  Web.  2013. .

Jang. Esther.  “Miley Cyrus Bangerz Tour Update: Doctors Order Miley To Stop Singing Ahead of U.S. Tour [VIDEO].”  Latin Post.  19 November 2013.  Web.  2 December 2013. .

No female star has had a year quite like Miley Cyrus-from her split with fiancé Liam Hemsworth to her polarizing VMA performance (why do people feel so much more comfortable attacking female performers than they do male singers?) to the record- smashing success of “Wrecking Ball” and her hilarious turn on Saturday Night Live […] It’s Miley’s moment-which is why we’ve put her on the cover for the second time this year (44).

In comparison, Buchanan, who wrote Cosmo’s articles on Cyrus, boasted about Cyrus’s success as an artist, writing, “If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Miley Cyrus made 2013 her bitch, from wrecking the music charts to setting tongues wagging (even more than her own!).  Completely out there and brutally honest, she can’t stop, and we won’t stop… obsessing over her” (Buchanan 175).  Actually, Buchanan raises a good point: Even though Cyrus has received a lot of backlash for her performances, she’s successfully managed to steal the limelight and maintain it.  Perhaps audiences don’t like the way Cyrus has presented herself, but it’s hard to argue with the facts: “The video for ‘Wrecking Ball’ by Miley Cyrus broke Vevo’s most-viewed record with 12.3 million views in the first 24 hours” (Eby), and the most important point of this all is that, as one writer asserts, ”Despite her [Cyrus’s] many naysayers, it’s hard to deny she’s on to something big, as it seems her fan base continues growing every day” (Rivera).

A lot of people, however, think Cyrus is going down a dark path.  Among those worried, of course, is Sinead O’Connor.  At this point, it’s relatively common knowledge that Cyrus and O’Connor got into a viral fight.  O’Connor, asked by multiple reporters to respond to the pop star’s comment that Cyrus admires her, wrote an open letter that created waves in the media.  In the letter, O’Connor confronts Cyrus about the sexual content of “Wrecking Ball.”  O’Connor pleads, “Please in future [sic] say no when you are asked to prostitute yourself […] I would be encouraging you to send healthier messages to your peers.. that they and you are worth more than what is currently going on in your career” (Zimmerman).  Actually, O’Connor’s anxiety for Cyrus comes off as a sincere concern; the problem is, she voiced the letter in a very accusatory manner.  In all reality, O’Connor’s letter was the perfect opportunity for Cyrus to further her new controversial career and personality.  It’s highly unlikely that Cyrus planned for O’Connor to respond to her video, yet it’s hard to ignore how impulsive Cyrus’s response comes off.

Zimmerman, Neetzan.  “Everyone Needs to Read Sinead O’Connor’s Open Letter to Miley Cyrus.”  Gawker. Gawker, October 2013.  Web.  17 November 2013. .

Above is Cyrus’s tweet-response to O’Connor’s letter.  Needless to say, this resulted in O’Connor lashing out at Cyrus in a second letter, condemning her for her blatant disrespect for O’Connor and others who have suffered from depression.  The feud escalated from there, and – shocker – the media followed the fight every step of the way.  Had Cyrus not responded to O’Connor’s letter in the way that she did, “Wrecking Ball” might not have garnered as much attention as it has.  Cyrus was definitely thinking on her feet when she re-tweeted O’Connor’s depressing past, and all it did was turn more heads in Cyrus’s direction.

This much is clear: Cyrus is confident that all of this craziness is adding up to her success as a musician.  In her second interview with Cosmo, Cyrus answered [in response to how crazy this year has been for her], “Even people who hate on me, they can’t even shut down the fact that I’m literally what everyone is talking about.  I don’t want to say that I’m on top right now-I feel like I’m kind of an underdog in a cool way.  It’s almost punk rock to like me because it’s not the right thing to do.  Like, society wants to shut me down” (Buchanan 176).  What’s interesting is that Cyrus is right: Regardless of what people are saying, Cyrus is still the number one topic that people are consistently discussing, and it’s all helping to further her career as a performer.

O’Connor, Maureen.  “Final Tally: Americans Were 12 Times More Interested in Miley Cyrus Than Syria.”  The Cut.  New York Media LLC, September 2013.  Web.  17 November 2013. .

The unanswered question is why so many people who don’t like Cyrus are also so concerned about her.  In an astonishing study conducted by a network called Outbrain, it was discovered that “Americans viewed twelve times as many pages about Miley Cyrus as they did about Syria – even though the news sources published 2.4 Syria articles for every one about Miley” (O’Connor).  What’s most interesting is that this study directly reflects what Cyrus stresses: Even if people are bashing her, the fact of the matter is that they are talking about her, and that’s all that really matters for her success as a performer. In comparison, upon gathering research on Cyrus, interviews were conducted to gain a sense of what Eau Claire residents think about Cyrus.  Although the majority of the people contacted had the unanimous opinion that Cyrus is a slut – case closed – there was one select interviewee who had an interesting perspective on the star:

Question: How did you hear about the music video for “Wrecking Ball?”  

Anonymous: My sister called her a skank and said she hated her and the song because she heard it on the radio too much and it was stuck in her head.  So, I went into her office, looked up the song on YouTube, played it loudly, and was shocked.

Question: Could you further describe your initial reaction?  

Anonymous: I thought: she’s making a lot of money.  I was shocked by the behavior; as in, wow; ‘she found this as a way to make a lot of money, by exposing herself with nipples poking through her wife-beater shirt and dirty panties.’  I thought it was weird, but she made a lot of money off of that video.

Question: After learning more about Cyrus’s explanation for the song and her relationship with Hemsworth, what is your final reaction to the music video?  

Anonymous: I need to find ways to make money.  But really, I’m just shocked at the video.  It’s not what I expected.

After bringing up the “We Can’t Stop” music video, it was revealed that the interviewee had never seen it; he/she had seen “Wrecking Ball,” but not “We Can’t Stop.”  A brief description of “We Can’t Stop” was provided to the interviewee, and this was his/her response:

Anonymous: SHE IS SO SMART.  Do you know what Miley Cyrus’s net worth is?  She’s approaching being the youngest richest person, from what I hear.  [He/she looks it up.  Miley Cyrus’s net value is] $150 million.  That’s it?  Well, do you know what I would do with it [that much money]?

Question: Do you think Miley Cyrus’ behavior is appropriate for her career?

Anonymous: Yes, absolutely.

The most relevant point of this interview was the interviewee’s emphasis on how much money Cyrus is making.  Maybe people don’t like the way Cyrus has recently presented herself in the media, but that won’t change how much money she is making, nor will it change her opinion of herself.  Cyrus maintains, “I need to treat my music like my relationship-give it my time and all the attention it deserves-and that’s my main love right now.  This is the best time of my life.  […] God wants my life to be about being successful and being happy and blessing other people and being blessed” (Buchanan 177).

All in all, Cyrus has received a lot of negative feedback for “Wrecking Ball.”  Furthermore, we’ve barely scratched the surface of her other controversial numbers.  Yet, despite all of the criticism Cyrus receives, she is making money off of all of it, gaining more fans by the day, and consistently smiling throughout it all.  With that said, it’s logical that Miley calls her fans “Smilerz;” not only are they supporting a financially successful celeb, but also they’re supporting one who is happy (and if that isn’t successful, than I don’t know what is).

Works Cited

Anonymous.  Personal interview.  29 Oct. 2013.

Bowers, Joe.  “Michigan University Removes Wrecking Ball After Miley Cyrus Tomfoolery.”  Starpulse. 19 September 2013.  Web.  2 December 2013 <http://www.starpulse.com/news/Joe_Bowers/2013/09/19/michigan_university_removes_wrecking_b>.

Buchanan, Kyle.  “Miley Cyrus: My Crazy F$*%ing Year.”  Cosmopolitan. December 2013: 175-177.  Print.

Buchanan, Kyle.  “Miley Cyrus Is Our March Cover Girl!” Cosmopolitan December 2013: A1.  Cosmopolitan.  Web.  2013 <http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/exclusive/miley-cyrus-march-cover>.

Coles, Joanna.  “The Cosmo Spirit!”  Cosmopolitan. December 2013: 44.  Print.

Cyrus, Miley.  Weblog entry.  Miley Ray Cyrus.  Twitter, Inc., 3 October 2013.  Web.  2 December 2013. <https://twitter.com/MileyCyrus/status/385794622641160193>.

Dodge, Shyam.  “’I’m naked because I’m sad’: Miley Cyrus defends her controversial video Wrecking Ball… as she reveals hidden message.”  Mail Online.  Daily Mail, 11 September 2013.  Web.  18 November 2013 <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2418231/Miley-Cyrus-defends-controversial-video-Wrecking-Ball–reveals-hidden-message.html>.

Eby, Margaret.  “Miley Cyrus Breaks Vevo’s Most-Viewed Record with ‘Wrecking Ball,’ Unveils Britney Spears Collaboration on Upcoming Album.”  New York Daily News.  New York Daily News, 10 September 2013.  Web.  14 November 2013 <http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/miley-cyrus-wrecking-ball-breaks-vevo-most-viewed-record-article-1.1451320>.

Jang. Esther.  “Miley Cyrus Bangerz Tour Update: Doctors Order Miley To Stop Singing Ahead of U.S. Tour [VIDEO].”  Latin Post.  19 November 2013.  Web.  2 December 2013 <http://www.latinpost.com/articles/3893/20131119/miley-cyrus-bangerz-tour-update-doctors-order-stop-singing-ahead.htm>.

“Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball [Official Video].”  Youtube.  Youtube, 11 Sept. 2013.  Web.  2 Dec. 2013 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2FRPA3Gf8>.

O’Connor, Maureen.  “Final Tally: Americans Were 12 Times More Interested in Miley Cyrus Than Syria.”  The Cut.  New York Media LLC, September 2013.  Web.  17 November 2013 <http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/09/usa-12-times-more-interested-in-miley-than-syria.html>.

Rivera, Zayda.  “Miley Cyrus: ‘I’d Rather be Naked in Front of People Than Cry in Front of People.”  New York Daily News.  New York Daily News, 28 October 2013.  Web.  14 November 2013 <http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/miley-cyrus-naked-front-people-cry-article-1.1499376>.

Stephanie.  Weblog entry.  Hello,Hannie.<3. Tumblr, Inc., September 2013.  Web.  2 December 2013.  <http://hello-hannie.tumblr.com/post/60916841118/yvetteiva-watch-miley-cyrus-transform-before>.

Zimmerman, Neetzan.  “Everyone Needs to Read Sinead O’Connor’s Open Letter to Miley Cyrus.”  Gawker. Gawker, October 2013.  Web.  17 November 2013 <http://gawker.com/everyone-needs-to-read-sinead-o-connors-open-letter-to-1440650011>.