Miley Cyrus: Why did the Grammys wait 20 years to take me seriously?

Miley Cyrus wants her flowers.

In a new interview, the pop star wondered why she had to wait decades to get respect from her peers in the music industry despite making a splash early on in her career.

“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, 31, asked W Magazine in her Pop Issue cover story published Monday, nearly four months after she won two awards for her No. 1 song “Flowers.”

Miley Cyrus on W Magazine


Miley Cyrus asked W Magazine why the Grammys waited 20 years to take her “seriously.”Alasdair McLellan for W Magazine

Miley Cyrus in W Magazine
“This is not about arrogance. I am proud of myself,” Cyrus stressed.Alasdair McLellan for W Magazine

Miley Cyrus in W Magazine
She also mentioned her “impact on culture” in the interview.Alasdair McLellan for W 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–k was I? And if you want to talk, like, impact on culture, then where the f–k was I?” she continued.

The singer then stressed, “This is not about arrogance. I am proud of myself.”

Cyrus landed the title role in “Hannah Montana” when she was just 12 years old. She starred on the Disney Channel show from 2006 to 2011 and simultaneously launched her music career, with early hits including “See You Again,” “7 Things,” “The Climb” and “Party in the USA.”

Miley Cyrus at the 2024 Grammys
The pop star won her first two Grammys in February for “Flowers.”AFP via Getty Images

Miley Cyrus performing at the 2024 Grammys

She also performed the No. 1 song during the ceremony.AFP via Getty Images

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The former child star infamously broke away from her good-girl image in 2013 with her boundary-pushing album “Bangerz,” which featured the career-defining singles “We Can’t Stop” and “Wrecking Ball.” During the polarizing era, she also came under fire for twerking on Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards.

“Bangerz” earned Cyrus her first Grammy nomination, for best pop vocal album, but she did not take home a trophy until nine years later.

During the 66th annual ceremony in February, “Flowers” won best pop solo performance and record of the year, beating Grammy darlings like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish.

Miley Cyrus in "Hannah Montana"
Cyrus got her start on “Hannah Montana” in 2006.Disney Channel/Courtesy Everett Collection

Miley Cyrus at the 2024 Grammys
“Flowers” won record of the year, one of the top categories.Getty Images for The Recording Academy
“This award is amazing, but I really hope that it doesn’t change anything, because my life was beautiful yesterday,” Cyrus said onstage while accepting the latter honor, which is one of the Recording Academy’s prestigious Big Four categories.

“Not everyone in the world will get a Grammy,” she added, “but everyone in this world is spectacular, so please don’t think that this is important.”