Miley Cyrus Opens up About ‘Actually Being Taken Seriously’ After Recent Grammy Win

Miley Cyrus is getting real about not “being taken seriously” by the Recording Academy ahead of her first Grammy wins at this year’s award ceremony for her single “Flowers.” The 31-year-old singer opened up in a new interview with W Magazine, saying that she was overlooked for her two decades in the entertainment industry prior to this year’s Grammy wins for record of the year and best pop solo performance.

“No shade, but I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and this is my first time actually being taken seriously at the Grammys?” Cyrus told the magazine. “I’ve had a hard time figuring out what the measurement is there, because if we want to talk stats and numbers, then where the f— was I? And if you want to talk, like, impact on culture, then where the f— was I? This is not about arrogance. I am proud of myself.”

Cyrus has released eight studio albums throughout her career, earning Grammy nominations for album of the year and best pop vocal album for 2023’s Endless Summer Vacation, with single “Flowers” also receiving a song of the year nomination. Cyrus’ track “Thousand Miles,” featuring Brandi Carlile, also received a nod for pop duo/group performance. Prior to the 2024 Grammys, Cyrus had only ever been nominated in 2015 for Best Pop Vocal Album for Bangerz, and in 2022 for her appearance on Lil Nas X’s album Montero.

At this year’s Grammys, Cyrus performed “Flowers” in a Tina Turner-inspired outfit, which the musician told W was meant to be a “celebration of ­bravery, because I perform out of fear.” She explained, “I didn’t always have the fear of performing that I have now. But going from spending two years alone and seeing no more than one person a day during lockdown to knowing that millions of people watch the Grammys is a big shock to the nervous system. Anyone who’s ever put themselves in a position to be observed or judged is brave. It doesn’t matter if it’s eight or 8 million people – that fear is there. Before I went onstage, right as that curtain was about to lift, I was screaming at the top of my lungs, ‘I am free!’”