Defend its Existence

Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus

By Caralyn Green
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Apr. 23, 2008

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Miley Cyrus is the top cash calf not just for Disney but for, like, the entire human species. The 15-year-old pulled in $18.2 million last year. She's got a hit TV show, an upcoming feature film, a handful of multiplatinum albums as both herself and her Hannah Montana counterpart, a trail of sold-out concerts, a 3-D tour mocku/documentary and, as far as I can tell, the most acclaimed case of multiple personality disorder since Jekyll shriveled into Hyde.

The appeal is that very two-facedness: "What you see is only half the story; there's another side of me. I'm the girl you know, but I'm someone else too. If you only knew," Hannah (or is it Miley?) sings on "Just Like You," and it's like, geez, isn't that the definition of modern girlhood? No wonder tweens can't get enough of this chick. She's Sleater-Kinney for the middle school mall shopper, or at least a plucky Disney princess in live-action form.

The latest link in Miley's chain of world domination is the Best of Both Worlds Concert album plus bonus DVD, which serves as the soundtrack to the Best of Both Worlds film, which pulled material from 2007's Best of Both Worlds tour. Someone say synergy? Half the album's songs are credited to Miley, the other half to Hannah, and one to both the twangy, clean-core tween and her blond pop-star alter ego. There's also a duet with the Jonas Brothers, the latest in prepubescent eye candy.

I never listened to this stuff before (mostly because I can't afford cable and Stereogum doesn't blog Miley Cyrus), but I like it more than I thought I would. It's Hilary Duff before she started dropping scorpions down her pants, and that's not a bad thing. More goofball, cotton-candied "Why Not?" than techno-lite "Danger." Half a decade ago, the Duffster was refreshing. Sure, she couldn't sing (still can't), but her music was pink, the perfect puff of whipped cream atop the Lizzie McGuire sundae. Disney learned its lesson with Hilary, though. Why add music as an afterthought when you can build it into the structure?

Miley credits Hilary as her icon, but it's clear she's surpassed Hil, both as a musician (i.e., Miley can actually sing) and as a Mouse-eared moneymaker.

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