As my childhood friend and I danced around my preteen room singing “Nobody’s Perfect” with our synthetic platinum blonde wigs on from Wal-Mart, we prepared for our favorite afternoon activity — watching “Hannah Montana” while eating a bowl of Cocoa Puffs.
Miley Cyrus released her album “Younger Now” on Sept. 29. The album symbolizes a compilation of the past mixed with the present.
Her voice sounds simplistic, but listeners can feel the influence from her life as a whole. “Malibu,” the album’s lead single, reflects on Miley's life journey. Fans should also expect to hear a collaboration with Dolly Parton on “Rainbowland.”
“Younger Now” represents the development of Miley as an artist and person.
Growing up, Disney Channel was my addiction. When I was 13, I would come home after school, pour a bowl of cereal and hear “You get the limo out front/ hottest styles, every shoe, every color” blaring from the TV speakers.
That year, I saw Hannah Montana in concert at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. I was in the nose-bleed seats and couldn’t see her facial features, except on the jumbo screen, but hearing her sing “Everybody makes mistakes/everybody has those days” instilled confidence within me.
My mother made sure I had an appreciation for music and art by exposing me to them at a young age.
In her gold Volvo, she always had the Rolling Stones, Chicago or Elton John playing on the stereo.
As Hannah Montana began to age, so did I. At 15, I entered my freshman year at Vinita High School. Vinita, Oklahoma, is a small town known for rodeos and the McDonalds over the highway. It wasn’t abnormal to see a horse trot down Canadian, the main street.
Miley had a similar theme on Hannah Montana. She was from the small town of Franklin, Tennessee, but broke out and became a superstar. I wanted to follow her footsteps. I graduated with 135 people — being different was not acceptable; in fact, it was a flaw.
Unsure of who I was, I decided to join my high school's pom squad because, at the time, dance was all I associated myself with. I wanted so desperately to fit in.
On “Hannah Montana” Miley wasn't the popular girl, but wanted to fit in without showing her celebrity side. A repeating issue in the show was teenagers finding peace with their identities, but this takes maturity.
Being Hannah Montana was hard on Miley, and she began to rebel during her final episodes of the hit Disney Channel show.
During this time in my life, a family matter happened that rocked my world. Life as I knew it came to a halt. My world in this small town was turned upside down. I desperately craved a change and began rebelling.
Just as “Hannah Montana” became a thing of the past, so did the old Chandler.
When Miley left behind “Hannah Montana” she evolved into who she wanted to be with a bang and released her album "Bangerz."
While Miley was twerking on Robin Thicke at the VMAs, I also underwent a major transition.
During my junior year of high school I had to let go of the main thing I identified myself with — dance. One day at dance camp I overstretched and pushed myself beyond my limits, resulting in a hip flexor injury. I had hip surgery at 17 and was unable to regain flexibility afterward.
I had to put up my dance shoes for life. It was time to define myself in a new mature way, not only to shock myself, but everyone who knew me in that small town.
After "Bangerz" was released, Miley was on her tour, working on her social media brand and swinging from wrecking balls in Doc Martens. She majorly impacted my personal style.
It was my senior year of high school, and I was done with my small town. I began to brand myself into a new evolved rebel, but I hadn’t polished it into a mature manner.
The day after Miley released her Wrecking Ball video, I bought a pair of Doc Martens because I thought, “She’s doing whatever she wants — so can I.”
Miley’s "Bangerz" phase ignited an inner rebellious spirit within me. Sliding down a giant tongue onstage and wearing risqué one-piece outfits on stage showed the world — and me — being different is encouraged. Shocking acts were gaining recognition worldwide and her voice was being heard. It was time for my voice to be heard at the University of Oklahoma.
I graduated high school in 2014 and began OU that fall. I dove into journalism because writing was a creative outlet to get my voice heard. I thought of it as a way to gain recognition while gaining a career.
I cut my hair two months into my college career. On the drive to the appointment I was singing “Do My Thang” off "Bangerz." Forty minutes later, my hair that swayed and swished down my back when I walked now brushed the tops of my shoulders.
I was breaking away from my mold. I began doing yoga, writing and embracing the free-spirit yoga rock girl that every person knows me to be.
In 2014, Miley was collaborating with Wayne Coyne on his Beatles compilation. This allowed her sound and artistry to mature, which shows in her album "Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Pets" released in 2015. In this album, the Flaming Lips' style is apparent, but so is Miley's creative evolution.
Maturing in any creative field is a spectacular discovery. As Miley focused on this aspect, so did I. During my junior year of college, I began exploring journalism. I found my voice best translated through arts and entertainment.
My reporting found a home at the OU Daily, where I spent countless hours focusing on expanding my skills.
With any step in the right direction, one always asks — what is the end goal?
No one but Miley knew that the release of “Younger Now” would be a compilation of the past mixed with the present, influenced by her whole life. Tracks such as “Malibu” highlight a transient story of her life-along with others like “Younger Now” and “A Week Without You.”
My senior year of college, I still feel a connection to Miley. At 19, I couldn’t fathom embracing a town in Oklahoma, home to 7,000 people and the world’s largest Calf Fry festival. I can see now, at 22, without this exposure, I wouldn’t be Chandler.
Maturity is about embracing faults and insecurities. I will only say this once, but thank you Vinita, Oklahoma, for guiding me to the right direction.
