Chappell Roan Honors Hannah Montana: Miley Cyrus ‘Feels Like Freedom’

Chappell Roan learned a thing or two about authenticity from her favorite artist, Miley Cyrus. On Monday, a day after honoring Cyrus during Disney Legend’s induction of the actress, Pop Crave shared the full clip of Roan speaking on her admiration for the Hannah Montana star.

“The things that I admire about Miley Cyrus is that she constantly reinvents herself and always works,” the “Naked in Manhattan” singer said in the video. “For a lot of artists it can seem inauthentic or out of the blue, but she’s very open about her transformations artistically and personally. She puts out music that is so authentic.”

Roan shared that Best of Both Worlds Tour (which featured the Jonas Brothers as an opener) was the first concert she ever attended, and it continues to inspire her today. “She came down in a box from the ceiling. I was like, ‘How do I do that one day?’ I still think about it,” she says. “I still think about the show. I want to be like Hannah Montana.”

“There’s a lot of crossover between Miley and my project, and it’s just like, I’m such a fan too,” she added. “I love her fanbase. She’s got the whole world that supports her. She could do whatever she wants, which is something I want to do. Miley does anything and it works. Miley feels like freedom to me.”

Roan has been open about her admiration for Cyrus’ Hannah Montana character in the past. During shows in NYC and in Los Angeles last year, Roan even performed in Hannah Montana drag for several songs. She also told Vulture last August that she loved being able to separate her Roan character with her own identity — just like Miley did with Hannah Montana in the Disney Channel show.

“It’s too much to process if I don’t have division between the two. It hurts my feelings when people say mean things about me online,” she said. “But it doesn’t hurt my feelings as much if they’re saying it about Chappell. Then it’s just them commenting on the art. I have to remind myself all the time: Art is meant to be judged.”

On Sunday, Cyrus became the youngest-ever honoree at the 2024 D23 Ceremony as she celebrated her role as Hannah Montana. “I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana. Because she made Miley in so many ways,” Cyrus said onstage amid tears.

“This award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing, loyal fans and to everyone who has made my dream a reality,” she added. “To quote the legend herself: ‘This is the life.’”