No, Miley Cyrus Didn’t Have a ‘Stripper Pole’ During Her 2009 Teen Choice Performance
Miley Cyrus is clearing up some rumors from when she “Used to Be Young.”
On Friday, the singer continued her TikTok series where she reflects on big moments in her career by re-watching her performance of “Party in the U.S.A.” at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards. At the time, critics (and tabloid headlines) believed she danced on a stripper pole during her set.
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The performance saw Cyrus, at 16, walking out of a trailer home before dancing on top of an ice cream stand that had a pole attached for “stability.”
“I had cut ‘Party in the U.S.A’ and I was doing my first performance for the Teen Choice Awards,” Cyrus said in the video. “My mom was like, ‘I think it’d be really cool if she was in the trailer park ’cause that’s where we really do come from.'”
“So apparently me dancing on an ice cream cart with a stripper pole, but it wasn’t a stripper pole, it was actually just for stability,” she added. “I had a heel on! Guys, what did you want from me? Was I really going to do my performance without dancing on an ice cream cart?”
Looking back, she said she thought she did “amazing,” but she could’ve lived without the fedora she wore at the end.
“Is Miley turning into the next Britney?” she said, reading off a tabloid headline about the performance. “Hopefully! If God is good, which we know she is!”
The singer has now released more than 20 parts of this “Used to Be Young” series, where she reflects on the different moments that marked her career.
In a statement following the track’s release, Cyrus explained, “This song is about honoring who we’ve been, loving who we are and celebrating who we will become. I feel proud when reflecting on my past and optimistic when thinking about the future.” She added, “I am grateful to my loyal fans who make my dreams a reality daily. I am sincerely thankful for the stability of your steadfast support. This song is for you.”
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