EVERY generation has a young star that grabs the attention of global audiences.
The late 1990s saw Britney Spears dazzle the world with her unique brand of bubblegum teen pop. Now, as well as proving her acting ability in Hannah Montana Forever, Miley Cyrus is set to take the World by storm as she continues to release one hit after another.
Miley Cyrus was born on November 23rd 1992 in the state of Tennessee under the name of Destiny Hope Cyrus. The name Miley is a result of a shortening of her childhood nickname Smiley, given to her by her father. Considering that he is country crooner Billy Ray Cyrus, famous for the hit Achy Breaky Heart, it seems pretty natural that this girl would grow up to be an entertainer.
Miley truly made her mark at the age of 14 when she began playing the title role in what would become one of the World's most successful modern franchises; Hannah Montana. Launched in the US in 2006, it has since gone on to become something of a phenomenon among youngsters across the globe.
If you're not familiar with the story behind the show, it centres on a unique plot line involving one ordinary girl with an extraordinary secret. Miley Stewart is an average American teenager who deals with the same issues her peers deal with; homework, schoolyard crushes, a frustrating brother and an overprotective dad. However, what sets Miss Stewart apart from the rest of the pack is the fact that she leads a double life.
Once the school bell has rung and class concludes each day, Miley becomes Hannah Montana, a famous pop star with an endless sea of adoring fans. She conceals her identity by putting on a blonde wig when entering the arena of her alter ego. In order to experience life as a normal teenager and pursue her dreams as a pop star, Miley keeps the fact that she is Hannah Montana under wraps from everyone save her family and closest friends.
The empire that Miley Cyrus has built with the Hannah Montana television series has further transcended to the big screen with the release of two highly successful films.
Fans were able to see live concert footage from her 2007 tour in Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds Concert, which played across international cinemas in 2008. Furthermore, the demand for Miley and Hannah was supplied again in 2009 with the release of Hannah Montana: The Movie.
Indeed, many kids have found themselves deeply invested in the franchise from the first to the final series, currently airing on the Disney Channel under the guise of Hannah Montana Forever.
The demand for Cyrus is so high that Disney has even created a new interactive website in connection with Hannah Montana Forever to allow all its young fans to get the Miley fix they need between episodes. Those who visit the website can play a wide variety of Hannah Montana games, look through cast photos and even download Hannah Montana wallpapers to decorate their desktop.
Aside from the website, fans of the franchise can find a wide array of Hannah Montana merchandise filling the shelves of retail outlets across all of the UK. Kids can get the chance to purchase everything including Hannah Montana bed linens, clothing, school supplies and so much more.
While the Hannah Montana franchise has taken a solid amount of Miley Cyrus' time and energy for the past four years, the young star has managed to keep herself even busier by working hard to make a name for herself as a pop singer and film actress.
For starters, 2007 saw the release of her debut album, aptly titled Meet Miley Cyrus, which contained several songs that were especially popular among youngsters. The track See You Again became a top ten hit on the US Billboard chart.
Her sophomore album by the name of Breakout was released in 2008 and was also a large commercial success.
Most recently, she has released her third album this year. Can't Be Tamed has already produced three singles, with the track Who Owns My Heart taking over on airwaves across the world.
This young lady's CV does not end there as her acting chops have propelled to her further into the world of cinema. She now has several film roles outside of the Hannah Montana franchise under her belt.
In 2008, Cyrus provided her vocal talent to play the role of Penny in Disney's Bolt, a hugely successful animated film. From there she moved on to a leading role in 2010's The Last Song, a film adaptation of the popular Nicholas Sparks novel.
Aside from keeping herself busy with promoting her latest music album, Cyrus is signed on to be in a film called LOL: Laughing out Loud, which is expected to be released in 2011. She will also begin filming yet another project in November, a film entitled So Undercover.
Miley Cyrus is only 18 years-old and she has already managed to star in an incredibly successful television series, several films and has released three solo albums that have been huge commercial successes. There is simply no denying the fact that the girl has made her mark in pop culture.
With Hannah Montana's chapter closing, Miley now has more time to devote to her own ambitions. This means that the millions of adoring Hannah fans will still be able to get their Miley fix, just in a different way.
Surely this girl has shown that she has staying power and will remain a huge force in the entertainment world long after the Hannah Montana series concludes at the beginning of next year.
If you're looking to see the star quality that Miley brings for yourself, new episodes of Hannah Montana Forever are currently airing on the Disney Channel every Monday at 17:00.
