Rewrite
Miley Cyrus’ status as one of her generation’s most enduring icons was only reinforced with the 20th anniversary celebrations of Hannah Montana in March. Now, as she readies herself for a new era, she enlists one of her own cultural heroes – Blade Runner and Kill Bill star Daryl Hannah – to unpack it for the first time.
“We share a name,” actor Daryl Hannah tells Miley Cyrus. Indeed – as was commemorated in March this year – in 2006, via Hannah Montana, Miley conferred a whole new pop-cultural identity on Daryl’s six-letter surname, the first to come close to that won by Daryl two and a half decades prior.
Becoming a silver screen legend in some of the 1980s’ most definitive features (Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street – to name a few), the roll call of Daryl’s earliest cultural contributions reads like a lifetime’s worth of impact for most creatives. The same could be said for Miley, who, at 18, after presiding over Y2K’s most successful global TV gem, could have retired from public life and still been hailed as a cultural hero who had done more than enough.
Miley wears top & trousers CHLOé; necklace TIFFANY & CO.
However, as is more than documented, the Miley story was merely in its introductory chapters by the time Hannah appeared in her final frame on Disney Channel in 2011. Miley’s 2007 debut album Meet Miley Cyrus lit the flame on what has become an ongoing 19-year, nine-album run as one of her generation’s foremost international recording artists. A pop cultural icon who, like many of the greats before her, exhibits endless potential to evolve.Whether in the rite-of-passage rebellion of 2013’s Bangerz, 2015’s lawless 23-track gear change Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, or the post-heartbreak empowerment of 2023’s “Flowers”– her chameleonic tendencies have been imbued, consistently, with a through line of fearlessness. A punk verve, tenacity and unapologetic sense of self that have underpinned many of her musical high points, while the humanity of the artist at its core remained front and centre.
Nowadays, with 20 years of stardom already in her rearview, Miley is, in many ways, a legacy artist: a part of the pop cultural bloodstream, inseparable from the listening habits, fashions, trends and conversations that have unfolded around her. But in others, aged just 33, her dreams are still only fully coming into focus. For one, The Miley Cyrus Foundation (first established in 2014 as the Happy Hippie Foundation) which supports the LGBTQ community and those experiencing homelessness, is still in its relative youth. Miley’s terrazzo star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame still boasts its freshly-laid shine, after it was awarded to her in May. And it’s not yet been two and a half years since, wearing that beaded Bob Mackie archival dress, Miley declared, “I’ve just won my first Grammy”, onstage during a performance of the very song “Flowers” that scored her the gong.
Miley wears dress VAQUERA; boots PRADA; necklace TIFFANY & CO.
That same stage might be soon calling her name once again, as her tenth album, unannounced at the time of writing, could be poised to meet audiences before the ceremony returns. She sent Daryl three tracks in the days before their chat, from the body of work born out of a process “uniquely fluid” compared with any she’s embarked upon before. It’s perhaps emblematic of the clarity that comes from two decades in the game, and, as she also explains, the hindsight that there were moments along the way in which she could have been kinder to herself. Her upcoming music is also the product of a new era of personal bliss – in late 2025, it was announced that Miley was engaged to Liily drummer, Maxx Morando.
While love might be woven into the subject matter of Miley Cyrus’ tenth album, a creative affection and affinity – extending far beyond the coincidence of their shared name – has led Miley to the first person she’s chosen to discuss the project with on record. Before Miley had legions of fans the world over, she was a fan herself of the Chicago-hailing actor, director and environmental activist Daryl. “I’ve loved you for a lifetime, truly,” Miley says. And, “I’d love for us to work together someday. I think we would make something really special.”One plucky double-life-living dreamer did once sing, “Life’s what you make it”, and as the history books will tell you, like her childhood fictional counterpart, Miley Cyrus has, more than most, shown a knack for making her own dreams a reality.
Miley wears bodysuit & shoes SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO; trousers MCQUEEN; necklace TIFFANY & CO.
Daryl Hannah: Will this record be filled with love songs?
Miley Cyrus: This album is a love story, but love stories are never one-dimensional. They’re always layered. There is definitely a romantic thread weaving through it because, like all my records, it’s a reflection of where I am in my life. But this one feels especially meaningful because this feeling has stayed with me through multiple eras. That’s something I hadn’t really experienced before. A peaceful kind of love has become a theme across my last three records. Not just the love I share with someone else, but the love I’ve found form yself. That’s probably been the biggest evolution. Once your relationship with yourself changes, every relationship around you changes too. I think this record celebrates both of those equally.
DH: What does love mean to you?
MC: Love is dynamic and complex. It’s something we can feel deeply with our heart seven if we can’t always explain it with our minds. To me, love isn’t something we have to intellectualise. It’s a cellular understanding.
DH: I noticed that the musicians who play on your new songs are also collaborators on the writing credits, including your fiancé Maxx. Congrats, by the way. It was so sweet briefly meeting you two at the Oscars.
MC: Thank you. We adored meeting you and [your husband] NY [Neil Young]. Maxx still talks about him as the coolest guy backstage eating an orange. Musicianship, writing, and storytelling through music are all integral to how these songs are built. For me, a song isn’t just chords, melody, and lyrics. It’s a feeling. It’s not right or wrong like an answer. It’s alive. It almost becomes its own little entity that tells you what it needs if you’re listening.I love making records with people who aren’t precious about ideas. Everyone is there because they’re excited by the same thing. There’s no ego in the room when it’s working. Just curiosity. It’s really special to be surrounded by people who want to surprise each other and are comfortable throwing an idea away or expanding on it.
DH: What is your favourite part of making music – writing, recording, collaborating, or performing live
MC: I love feeling aligned with my purpose, my power, and my gifts. I feel closest to something bigger than myself when records flow through me. It’s almost impossible to describe. It’s like waking up from a dream you can still feel in your body even though you can’t fully explain it logically. Songwriting feels like crossing over to another side sometimes. A new song can feel like I’ve already heard it before. Even if it isn’t finished yet, I somehow know exactly what it is, almost like I’m remembering it instead of creating it. That’s the mystery I love.
DH: What is your writing process like?
MC: Usually I’m very certain of the destination, and sometimes that can almost obliterate the journey because I’m so focused on getting somewhere. This one was different. It was organic and really unforced. Something that was super helpful this time was I started with the tracklist and never veered from it. I knew it would be 10 songs. I roughly knew the sound and the concept. That gave me a really strong compass without making the process feel forced.
DH: How does collaboration work when you have such a specific vision?
MC: I trusted that the vision would reveal itself instead of trying to control every piece from day one. As each song came into focus, so did the world around it. Visually, I actually handed some of the creative keys to Alastair McKimm, which is really how this issue came to be. But even before I made the record, I already knew certain things. I knew the colour would be red. I knew I’d be in a leather hat. I knew the frame of the imagery. Collaboration is a dance. You have to know when to lead and when to follow. I love bringing in people I trust because they’ll take an idea I have and make it possible. Everyone brings their own perspective, and that’s what makes the work richer and dynamic.
DH: How do you feel about 45 and 78 RPMs?
MC: There’s absolutely something beautiful about the blur of a 78 RPM record. I naturally think of albums in sides because vinyl has always been such an important part of the experience for me. You commit to an album through vinyl. I love that records are having such a comeback, music isn’t always supposed to be consumed as quickly as possible like with streaming.
DH: What was the idea behind your shows at the Chateau [Marmont in 2023 and 2025]?
MC: I wanted to fall back in love with performing and remind myself that it doesn’t have to be about the biggest crowd. It can simply be about connection. Sometimes when your career gets bigger, the production gets bigger too, and you can accidentally drift away from the reason you started. The joy comes from the exchange, not the number.
DH: How did it feel to play there?
MC: I love architecture and history, and the Chateau is such an iconic part of Los Angeles. It’s also close to my home, so I feel safe and protected there. There was something comforting about that. It was a beautiful place to rediscover performance in a way that felt completely within my control, which is something that’s very difficult when you’re touring on a huge scale. It reminded me that intimacy can sometimes feel even more powerful than spectacle.
Miley wears jacket & shorts ISABEL MARANT; trousers (in hand) HODAKOVA.
DH: I remember seeing you perform a ballad over a decade ago and being stopped in my tracks by your voice. The sensitivity, emotion, and vulnerability were stunning. You’re so gifted.
MC: That means a lot to me. I’ve loved you all my life. Not only your work professionally, but your service to the world has always inspired me too. You’ve always represented someone who creates with compassion, and that’s something I admire just as much as talent.
DH: How do you refuel?
MC: My animals are a source of pure joy. Being their mama gives me so much. Even though I’m constantly giving to them, I somehow receive even more back. There’s something so uncomplicated about their love. They keep me present.
DH: Do you have any rescue critters? Horses?
MC: All of it. Horses, a tortoise, a bunny, birds, cats, dogs, fish… The saying is ‘Who rescued who?’ and that’s exactly how it feels. I may take care of them, but they take care of me just as much.
DH: Do you have specific routines that foster your creativity?
MC: Staying around creative people, because it’s contagious. It’s almost like brain envy. I love being around poets, writers, artists, painters, directors, photographers: people who seethe world in a way I don’t. They plant little seeds in my brain that grow into my own thought forest. Creativity breeds creativity. It multiplies when it is shared.
Miley wears bodysuit, jacket, jeans & shoes SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO; necklace TIFFANY & CO.
DH: I always thought of the age 33 as a milestone. It’s the age Jesus was believed to be when he died. You’ve already had an unusual and long career. Is there anything you wish you had done differently?
MC: Taken it easier on myself. I was so young, and sometimes I believed other people’s ideas of me were my own. You spend enough time hearing who you’re supposed to be that you can accidentally lose your own voice for a while. Through my evolution I’ve found a lot more forgiveness and softness. I can laugh now at some of the crazy things I’ve done.I adore those wilder times. I’ve aged out of some of that spontaneity, and every once in awhile I even miss it. I was fearless then, like a kid flying downhill on a bike who’s never fallen, so they aren’t even thinking about getting hurt. There’s something beautiful about that kind of innocence. Eventually life teaches you consequences, and that’s valuable too. But those years were electric. I’m grateful I lived them, and I’m grateful I made it through them.
DH: What words of wisdom can you share with young people going through that often challenging time of transition?
MC: Grace: give it to yourself. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind. Tap into the present. Soak up every second of youth because it is so beautiful. One day you’ll miss things about yourself that you’re probably trying to change right now.
DH: Has the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana given you any unexpected perspectives?
MC: Going back through those episodes was emotional. Watching it back reminded me that making people laugh isn’t something I perform, it’s part of my nature. Being playful, making jokes, finding the light… That’s who I am. In heavy times that’s become one of my greatest superpowers. I love making people feel lighter. Looking back made me proud. I worked really hard, but I also had so much fun.
DH: Will we get to see you onscreen again as an actress or behind the camera as a director?
MC: Well… That’s partly why I wanted to get in touch. I’d genuinely love to do both. My dream has always been to work with artists I admire, and you’re one of them. I think we’d make magic together, Daryl. I have an idea. Call me.
DH: It seems so many kids are interested in fame, but not necessarily invested in creating. Can this be remedied?
MC: I think there’s a season for everything. Right now we’re living in a culture that rewards quick and easy. Everyone wants the result, but I don’t think that satisfies the soul for very long. Art that you genuinely love feeds you in a way applause never can. I think people will always find their way back because it’s human nature to want to make something that lasts.
Left: Miley wears jacket, skirt &shoes GUCCI; necklace TIFFANY & CO. Right: Miley wears jacket R13; trousers HODAKOVA.
DH: When you were 16, you said, ‘Now is our prep time…We need to get some practice in before we save the world.’ Do you still want to save the world?
MC: Not alone. I used to put a huge amount of pressure on myself to use my platform to ‘save’ the world, and over time, I realised that that is not actually how change happens. Change happens when everybody does their part. I am dedicated to keeping my side of the street clean and using the stage I stand on to make compassion look inspiring, because motivation is contagious. Right now there’s so much judgment that I think people are scared of getting involved unless they know exactly the right thing to say or do. But I don’t really believe there’s one right way. Do what is in your power.
DH: Much respect for the work of the Happy Hippie Foundation. Was there somethingspecific that drove you to focus on homeless and LGBTQ+ youth?
MC: Homelessness is all around us. Living in Los Angeles, it’s impossible not to see it. Every day this city reminds me that there is still so much work to be done. Supporting LGBTQ youth also comes from my own identification and being a part of that community myself. Sometimes people need resources, sometimes they need community, and sometimes they just need someone to remind them they belong. Everyone deserves that.
DH: What plans and hopes do you have for the Foundation?
MC: We’re still young, with big dreams. My deepest hope is to honour my mother and my grandmother through the work we do. Right now we’re focused on the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles, where my mom and I helped lead a major redesign of the spaces. We updated them with new furniture that provides dignity, and comfort for the thousands of people who use the centre every year. I want to help create a home, somewhere with soul. Not only providing basic needs but beautiful spaces that remind people they’re worthy of beautiful things.
DH: Do you feel your voice on social media can be a useful tool for your altruistic work?
MC: I do, but I try to balance it responsibly. I also believe I can offer people an escape from the heaviness of everyday life, and I don’t want to lose that. So I try to keep my missions under the umbrella of the Foundation while allowing my personal platform to remain a place where people can come together through music, humour, fashion, and creativity. There are so many places asking people to choose sides. I hope my music can remind people what we have in common.
DH: You seem quite taken by the creativity, fantasy, and artistry of the fashion world. Do you see yourself working in fashion in the future?
MC: Music is my world, and as of now I don’t really have any interest in building a fashion business. I love collaborating with designers and lending myself to brands I genuinely admire and can authentically embody.
DH: Do you think fashion can be ethical today?
MC: To be honest, that is a large part of why I wouldn’t have my own line because on a large scale, I’m not sure. I love vintage, and I’ve slowed down a lot on custom pieces because wearing something made only for me one time can feel wasteful. The truth is this world moves faster than I can keep up with. Even if I had the perfect solution, I’m not sure companies would adopt it because it probably wouldn’t make them as much money.
DH: You chose to guest edit this issue ofWonderland. What did you enjoy most about the process?
MC: Working alongside people I love and seeing an idea through from beginning to end. None of us did this because we had to. It was completely driven by desire and inspiration. I also loved getting to champion artists I admire. Being surrounded by kind people while creating beautiful imagery at the same time is the dream.
DH: Thank you for asking me to interview you. What led you to ask me?
MC: I’ve always felt intuitively connected to you in the same way I was talking about with songwriting – that kind of knowing you can’t really explain. I hope one day we’re standing side by side in front of a lens, creating something we’re both proud of. Until then, this felt like the perfect place to start. Thank you, Daryl.
WONDERLAND SUMMER ’26, GUEST EDITED BY MILEY CYRUS AVAILABLE NOW.
Photography Mario Sorrenti
Chief Creative Officer & Styling Alastair McKimm
Words Andrew Wright
Hair Bob Recine
Make-up Diane Kendal
Set Design Philipp Haemmerle
Executive Producer Dana Brockman
Producer Max Bonbrest
Casting Alexandra Antonova for Samuel Ellis Scheinman
Lighting Technician Lars Beaulieu
1st Photo Assistant Kotaro Kawashima
Photo Assistants Paolo Afante, Kurt Mangum
Digital Tech Charles Meyer
Fashion Assistants Taylor Wood, Kassidy Taylor
Hair Assistant Jeelan Aleem
Make-up Assistants Eduardo Jiminez, Breanna Harmon
Set Assistants Oscar Haemmerle, Xavier Mozejewski
Production Assistant Din Morris
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Miley Cyrus’ status as one of her generation’s most enduring icons was only reinforced with the 20th anniversary celebrations of Hannah Montana in March. Now, as she readies herself for a new era, she enlists one of her own cultural heroes – Blade Runner and Kill Bill star Daryl Hannah – to unpack it for the first time.
“We share a name,” actor Daryl Hannah tells Miley Cyrus. Indeed – as was commemorated in March this year – in 2006, via Hannah Montana, Miley conferred a whole new pop-cultural identity on Daryl’s six-letter surname, the first to come close to that won by Daryl two and a half decades prior.
Becoming a silver screen legend in some of the 1980s’ most definitive features (Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street – to name a few), the roll call of Daryl’s earliest cultural contributions reads like a lifetime’s worth of impact for most creatives. The same could be said for Miley, who, at 18, after presiding over Y2K’s most successful global TV gem, could have retired from public life and still been hailed as a cultural hero who had done more than enough.
Miley wears top & trousers CHLOé; necklace TIFFANY & CO.
However, as is more than documented, the Miley story was merely in its introductory chapters by the time Hannah appeared in her final frame on Disney Channel in 2011. Miley’s 2007 debut album Meet Miley Cyrus lit the flame on what has become an ongoing 19-year, nine-album run as one of her generation’s foremost international recording artists. A pop cultural icon who, like many of the greats before her, exhibits endless potential to evolve.Whether in the rite-of-passage rebellion of 2013’s Bangerz, 2015’s lawless 23-track gear change Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, or the post-heartbreak empowerment of 2023’s “Flowers”– her chameleonic tendencies have been imbued, consistently, with a through line of fearlessness. A punk verve, tenacity and unapologetic sense of self that have underpinned many of her musical high points, while the humanity of the artist at its core remained front and centre.
Nowadays, with 20 years of stardom already in her rearview, Miley is, in many ways, a legacy artist: a part of the pop cultural bloodstream, inseparable from the listening habits, fashions, trends and conversations that have unfolded around her. But in others, aged just 33, her dreams are still only fully coming into focus. For one, The Miley Cyrus Foundation (first established in 2014 as the Happy Hippie Foundation) which supports the LGBTQ community and those experiencing homelessness, is still in its relative youth. Miley’s terrazzo star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame still boasts its freshly-laid shine, after it was awarded to her in May. And it’s not yet been two and a half years since, wearing that beaded Bob Mackie archival dress, Miley declared, “I’ve just won my first Grammy”, onstage during a performance of the very song “Flowers” that scored her the gong.
Miley wears dress VAQUERA; boots PRADA; necklace TIFFANY & CO.
That same stage might be soon calling her name once again, as her tenth album, unannounced at the time of writing, could be poised to meet audiences before the ceremony returns. She sent Daryl three tracks in the days before their chat, from the body of work born out of a process “uniquely fluid” compared with any she’s embarked upon before. It’s perhaps emblematic of the clarity that comes from two decades in the game, and, as she also explains, the hindsight that there were moments along the way in which she could have been kinder to herself. Her upcoming music is also the product of a new era of personal bliss – in late 2025, it was announced that Miley was engaged to Liily drummer, Maxx Morando.
While love might be woven into the subject matter of Miley Cyrus’ tenth album, a creative affection and affinity – extending far beyond the coincidence of their shared name – has led Miley to the first person she’s chosen to discuss the project with on record. Before Miley had legions of fans the world over, she was a fan herself of the Chicago-hailing actor, director and environmental activist Daryl. “I’ve loved you for a lifetime, truly,” Miley says. And, “I’d love for us to work together someday. I think we would make something really special.”One plucky double-life-living dreamer did once sing, “Life’s what you make it”, and as the history books will tell you, like her childhood fictional counterpart, Miley Cyrus has, more than most, shown a knack for making her own dreams a reality.
Miley wears bodysuit & shoes SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO; trousers MCQUEEN; necklace TIFFANY & CO.
Daryl Hannah: Will this record be filled with love songs?
Miley Cyrus: This album is a love story, but love stories are never one-dimensional. They’re always layered. There is definitely a romantic thread weaving through it because, like all my records, it’s a reflection of where I am in my life. But this one feels especially meaningful because this feeling has stayed with me through multiple eras. That’s something I hadn’t really experienced before. A peaceful kind of love has become a theme across my last three records. Not just the love I share with someone else, but the love I’ve found form yself. That’s probably been the biggest evolution. Once your relationship with yourself changes, every relationship around you changes too. I think this record celebrates both of those equally.
DH: What does love mean to you?
MC: Love is dynamic and complex. It’s something we can feel deeply with our heart seven if we can’t always explain it with our minds. To me, love isn’t something we have to intellectualise. It’s a cellular understanding.
DH: I noticed that the musicians who play on your new songs are also collaborators on the writing credits, including your fiancé Maxx. Congrats, by the way. It was so sweet briefly meeting you two at the Oscars.
MC: Thank you. We adored meeting you and [your husband] NY [Neil Young]. Maxx still talks about him as the coolest guy backstage eating an orange. Musicianship, writing, and storytelling through music are all integral to how these songs are built. For me, a song isn’t just chords, melody, and lyrics. It’s a feeling. It’s not right or wrong like an answer. It’s alive. It almost becomes its own little entity that tells you what it needs if you’re listening.I love making records with people who aren’t precious about ideas. Everyone is there because they’re excited by the same thing. There’s no ego in the room when it’s working. Just curiosity. It’s really special to be surrounded by people who want to surprise each other and are comfortable throwing an idea away or expanding on it.
DH: What is your favourite part of making music – writing, recording, collaborating, or performing live
MC: I love feeling aligned with my purpose, my power, and my gifts. I feel closest to something bigger than myself when records flow through me. It’s almost impossible to describe. It’s like waking up from a dream you can still feel in your body even though you can’t fully explain it logically. Songwriting feels like crossing over to another side sometimes. A new song can feel like I’ve already heard it before. Even if it isn’t finished yet, I somehow know exactly what it is, almost like I’m remembering it instead of creating it. That’s the mystery I love.
DH: What is your writing process like?
MC: Usually I’m very certain of the destination, and sometimes that can almost obliterate the journey because I’m so focused on getting somewhere. This one was different. It was organic and really unforced. Something that was super helpful this time was I started with the tracklist and never veered from it. I knew it would be 10 songs. I roughly knew the sound and the concept. That gave me a really strong compass without making the process feel forced.
DH: How does collaboration work when you have such a specific vision?
MC: I trusted that the vision would reveal itself instead of trying to control every piece from day one. As each song came into focus, so did the world around it. Visually, I actually handed some of the creative keys to Alastair McKimm, which is really how this issue came to be. But even before I made the record, I already knew certain things. I knew the colour would be red. I knew I’d be in a leather hat. I knew the frame of the imagery. Collaboration is a dance. You have to know when to lead and when to follow. I love bringing in people I trust because they’ll take an idea I have and make it possible. Everyone brings their own perspective, and that’s what makes the work richer and dynamic.
DH: How do you feel about 45 and 78 RPMs?
MC: There’s absolutely something beautiful about the blur of a 78 RPM record. I naturally think of albums in sides because vinyl has always been such an important part of the experience for me. You commit to an album through vinyl. I love that records are having such a comeback, music isn’t always supposed to be consumed as quickly as possible like with streaming.
DH: What was the idea behind your shows at the Chateau [Marmont in 2023 and 2025]?
MC: I wanted to fall back in love with performing and remind myself that it doesn’t have to be about the biggest crowd. It can simply be about connection. Sometimes when your career gets bigger, the production gets bigger too, and you can accidentally drift away from the reason you started. The joy comes from the exchange, not the number.
DH: How did it feel to play there?
MC: I love architecture and history, and the Chateau is such an iconic part of Los Angeles. It’s also close to my home, so I feel safe and protected there. There was something comforting about that. It was a beautiful place to rediscover performance in a way that felt completely within my control, which is something that’s very difficult when you’re touring on a huge scale. It reminded me that intimacy can sometimes feel even more powerful than spectacle.
Miley wears jacket & shorts ISABEL MARANT; trousers (in hand) HODAKOVA.
DH: I remember seeing you perform a ballad over a decade ago and being stopped in my tracks by your voice. The sensitivity, emotion, and vulnerability were stunning. You’re so gifted.
MC: That means a lot to me. I’ve loved you all my life. Not only your work professionally, but your service to the world has always inspired me too. You’ve always represented someone who creates with compassion, and that’s something I admire just as much as talent.
DH: How do you refuel?
MC: My animals are a source of pure joy. Being their mama gives me so much. Even though I’m constantly giving to them, I somehow receive even more back. There’s something so uncomplicated about their love. They keep me present.
DH: Do you have any rescue critters? Horses?
MC: All of it. Horses, a tortoise, a bunny, birds, cats, dogs, fish… The saying is ‘Who rescued who?’ and that’s exactly how it feels. I may take care of them, but they take care of me just as much.
DH: Do you have specific routines that foster your creativity?
MC: Staying around creative people, because it’s contagious. It’s almost like brain envy. I love being around poets, writers, artists, painters, directors, photographers: people who seethe world in a way I don’t. They plant little seeds in my brain that grow into my own thought forest. Creativity breeds creativity. It multiplies when it is shared.
Miley wears bodysuit, jacket, jeans & shoes SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO; necklace TIFFANY & CO.
DH: I always thought of the age 33 as a milestone. It’s the age Jesus was believed to be when he died. You’ve already had an unusual and long career. Is there anything you wish you had done differently?
MC: Taken it easier on myself. I was so young, and sometimes I believed other people’s ideas of me were my own. You spend enough time hearing who you’re supposed to be that you can accidentally lose your own voice for a while. Through my evolution I’ve found a lot more forgiveness and softness. I can laugh now at some of the crazy things I’ve done.I adore those wilder times. I’ve aged out of some of that spontaneity, and every once in awhile I even miss it. I was fearless then, like a kid flying downhill on a bike who’s never fallen, so they aren’t even thinking about getting hurt. There’s something beautiful about that kind of innocence. Eventually life teaches you consequences, and that’s valuable too. But those years were electric. I’m grateful I lived them, and I’m grateful I made it through them.
DH: What words of wisdom can you share with young people going through that often challenging time of transition?
MC: Grace: give it to yourself. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind. Tap into the present. Soak up every second of youth because it is so beautiful. One day you’ll miss things about yourself that you’re probably trying to change right now.
DH: Has the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana given you any unexpected perspectives?
MC: Going back through those episodes was emotional. Watching it back reminded me that making people laugh isn’t something I perform, it’s part of my nature. Being playful, making jokes, finding the light… That’s who I am. In heavy times that’s become one of my greatest superpowers. I love making people feel lighter. Looking back made me proud. I worked really hard, but I also had so much fun.
DH: Will we get to see you onscreen again as an actress or behind the camera as a director?
MC: Well… That’s partly why I wanted to get in touch. I’d genuinely love to do both. My dream has always been to work with artists I admire, and you’re one of them. I think we’d make magic together, Daryl. I have an idea. Call me.
DH: It seems so many kids are interested in fame, but not necessarily invested in creating. Can this be remedied?
MC: I think there’s a season for everything. Right now we’re living in a culture that rewards quick and easy. Everyone wants the result, but I don’t think that satisfies the soul for very long. Art that you genuinely love feeds you in a way applause never can. I think people will always find their way back because it’s human nature to want to make something that lasts.
Left: Miley wears jacket, skirt &shoes GUCCI; necklace TIFFANY & CO. Right: Miley wears jacket R13; trousers HODAKOVA.
DH: When you were 16, you said, ‘Now is our prep time…We need to get some practice in before we save the world.’ Do you still want to save the world?
MC: Not alone. I used to put a huge amount of pressure on myself to use my platform to ‘save’ the world, and over time, I realised that that is not actually how change happens. Change happens when everybody does their part. I am dedicated to keeping my side of the street clean and using the stage I stand on to make compassion look inspiring, because motivation is contagious. Right now there’s so much judgment that I think people are scared of getting involved unless they know exactly the right thing to say or do. But I don’t really believe there’s one right way. Do what is in your power.
DH: Much respect for the work of the Happy Hippie Foundation. Was there somethingspecific that drove you to focus on homeless and LGBTQ+ youth?
MC: Homelessness is all around us. Living in Los Angeles, it’s impossible not to see it. Every day this city reminds me that there is still so much work to be done. Supporting LGBTQ youth also comes from my own identification and being a part of that community myself. Sometimes people need resources, sometimes they need community, and sometimes they just need someone to remind them they belong. Everyone deserves that.
DH: What plans and hopes do you have for the Foundation?
MC: We’re still young, with big dreams. My deepest hope is to honour my mother and my grandmother through the work we do. Right now we’re focused on the Downtown Women’s Center in Los Angeles, where my mom and I helped lead a major redesign of the spaces. We updated them with new furniture that provides dignity, and comfort for the thousands of people who use the centre every year. I want to help create a home, somewhere with soul. Not only providing basic needs but beautiful spaces that remind people they’re worthy of beautiful things.
DH: Do you feel your voice on social media can be a useful tool for your altruistic work?
MC: I do, but I try to balance it responsibly. I also believe I can offer people an escape from the heaviness of everyday life, and I don’t want to lose that. So I try to keep my missions under the umbrella of the Foundation while allowing my personal platform to remain a place where people can come together through music, humour, fashion, and creativity. There are so many places asking people to choose sides. I hope my music can remind people what we have in common.
DH: You seem quite taken by the creativity, fantasy, and artistry of the fashion world. Do you see yourself working in fashion in the future?
MC: Music is my world, and as of now I don’t really have any interest in building a fashion business. I love collaborating with designers and lending myself to brands I genuinely admire and can authentically embody.
DH: Do you think fashion can be ethical today?
MC: To be honest, that is a large part of why I wouldn’t have my own line because on a large scale, I’m not sure. I love vintage, and I’ve slowed down a lot on custom pieces because wearing something made only for me one time can feel wasteful. The truth is this world moves faster than I can keep up with. Even if I had the perfect solution, I’m not sure companies would adopt it because it probably wouldn’t make them as much money.
DH: You chose to guest edit this issue ofWonderland. What did you enjoy most about the process?
MC: Working alongside people I love and seeing an idea through from beginning to end. None of us did this because we had to. It was completely driven by desire and inspiration. I also loved getting to champion artists I admire. Being surrounded by kind people while creating beautiful imagery at the same time is the dream.
DH: Thank you for asking me to interview you. What led you to ask me?
MC: I’ve always felt intuitively connected to you in the same way I was talking about with songwriting – that kind of knowing you can’t really explain. I hope one day we’re standing side by side in front of a lens, creating something we’re both proud of. Until then, this felt like the perfect place to start. Thank you, Daryl.
WONDERLAND SUMMER ’26, GUEST EDITED BY MILEY CYRUS AVAILABLE NOW.
Photography Mario Sorrenti
Chief Creative Officer & Styling Alastair McKimm
Words Andrew Wright
Hair Bob Recine
Make-up Diane Kendal
Set Design Philipp Haemmerle
Executive Producer Dana Brockman
Producer Max Bonbrest
Casting Alexandra Antonova for Samuel Ellis Scheinman
Lighting Technician Lars Beaulieu
1st Photo Assistant Kotaro Kawashima
Photo Assistants Paolo Afante, Kurt Mangum
Digital Tech Charles Meyer
Fashion Assistants Taylor Wood, Kassidy Taylor
Hair Assistant Jeelan Aleem
Make-up Assistants Eduardo Jiminez, Breanna Harmon
Set Assistants Oscar Haemmerle, Xavier Mozejewski
Production Assistant Din Morris
and integrate them seamlessly into the new content without adding new tags. Ensure the new content is fashion-related, written entirely in Japanese, and approximately 1500 words. Conclude with a “結論” section and a well-formatted “よくある質問” section. Avoid including an introduction or a note explaining the process.
