It was 2013, and everyone was talking about a giant concrete ball. Miley Cyrus, fresh off the "Hannah Montana" treadmill, didn't just step away from her Disney shadow—she blew it up with a sledgehammer. Literally. When the "Wrecking Ball" video dropped, seeing Miley Cyrus nude and uncensored for the first time in a major musical production wasn't just a pop culture moment; it was a tactical nuclear strike on her "Good Girl" image.
She wasn't trying to be subtle. Honestly, she couldn't afford to be.
Since then, the conversation hasn't really stopped. Even now, over a decade later, the way Miley used provocative imagery—from that Terry Richardson shoot to her mud-caked Paper Magazine cover—remains a masterclass in celebrity rebranding. But if you think it was just about shock value, you're missing the bigger picture. It was about ownership.
Why the Wrecking Ball Video Still Hits Different
You’ve probably seen the clip a thousand times. Miley swinging on a demolition ball, wearing nothing but her Dr. Martens. At the time, the internet practically broke. People called it "desperate" or "scandalous." But look closer.
If you watch her face, she’s actually crying.
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Miley later explained that the nudity was a metaphor for being emotionally "naked" after a breakup. She told Vevo that she’d rather be physically exposed than show people her crying. In her head, the skin was a shield. It was a way to distract from the raw, ugly heartbreak of her real life. It’s kinda wild to think that one of the most sexualized videos of the century was actually a defensive play against showing "weakness."
The Terry Richardson Connection
We have to talk about the photography. A lot of the Miley Cyrus nude and uncensored imagery came from her collaboration with Terry Richardson. This wasn't the high-glamour, airbrushed stuff you see in Vogue. It was raw, gritty, and—let’s be real—pretty controversial.
- The Tumblr Shoots: They took photos in a white-walled studio that looked more like a basement.
- The "I Was Touched By Terry" Shirt: A move that would probably be canceled instantly today, given Richardson's later reputation.
- The Proportions: It wasn't about looking "perfect." It was about looking messy.
These photos were a massive departure from the "bubblegum" Disney era. They were designed to look like leaked snapshots, giving fans a sense of "uncensored" access that felt dangerous. It made her feel more like a rock star and less like a product.
The Paper Magazine Cover: Mud, Pigs, and Politics
Fast forward a bit to 2015. Miley decided to pose for Paper Magazine. If you remember the "Break the Internet" Kim Kardashian cover, this was the weird, indie cousin of that shoot. She was completely nude, covered in mud, and hugging her pet pig, Bubba Sue.
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It was bizarre. It was also deeply political.
Inside that issue, she launched the Happy Hippie Foundation. She wasn't just showing skin for the sake of it; she was using the inevitable "scandal" of the photos to force people to read about homeless LGBTQ+ youth. She basically used her own body as a billboard for activism. You've gotta respect the hustle there. She knew the headlines would be about her being naked, so she made sure the subhead was about human rights.
Reclaiming the Narrative: The "Used to Be Young" Era
Recently, Miley has been looking back. In her "Used to Be Young" series on TikTok, she finally addressed that 2008 Vanity Fair photo. You know the one—the sheet, the "semi-nude" controversy when she was only 15.
For years, she apologized for it.
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Now? She’s done apologizing. She calls that image "brilliant" because it was the first time she tried to be something other than a cartoon character. She pointed out that her makeup artist at the time, Pati Dubroff, specifically used red lipstick to "divide her from Hannah Montana."
It’s interesting how she views her history now. She sees the "provocative" years not as a mistake, but as a necessary rebellion. In a 2025 interview, she even mentioned that while those years were "mortifying" for her grandparents, she doesn't regret the artistic risks. She realized that as a child, she was being judged by adults who didn't see her as a person, but as a brand. Taking her clothes off was, ironically, how she put her real self on display.
What Most People Get Wrong
- It wasn't a "downward spiral": People love the "child star gone wild" narrative. For Miley, it was a business strategy.
- It wasn't about being a "sex symbol": If you look at her most famous nude shoots, they're often "ugly-cool." Mud, weird faces, messy hair. She was mocking the idea of being a perfect pin-up.
- The family fallout: It wasn't all sunshine. She’s admitted her siblings were embarrassed to go to school during the "Bangerz" era. Being a "wrecking ball" has real-world consequences.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Fan
If you're following Miley's career or looking into how celebrity branding works, there are a few things to keep in mind about this specific era:
- Look for the Intent: Most of Miley's "uncensored" moments were tied to specific album cycles (Bangerz, Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz). They weren't random.
- Context is King: A photo with a pig isn't just a photo with a pig when it’s attached to a multi-million dollar charity launch.
- The "Apology" Trap: Notice how she rescinded her old apologies. It's a lesson in how public figures can reclaim their past once they have more power in the industry.
- Art vs. Exploitation: There’s always a fine line. Exploring the work of photographers like Annie Leibovitz versus Terry Richardson shows the massive difference between "artistic nudity" and "shock-tactic photography."
Miley basically taught a generation of pop stars that you can't be "uncensored" if you're still following someone else's rules. She stopped playing the game and started breaking the board. Whether you loved the "Bangerz" era or found it exhausting, you can't deny that she's one of the few stars who actually survived the transition from child star to a respected, Grammy-winning artist.
If you want to understand the evolution further, check out her recent Perfect Magazine cover from late 2025. It’s another nude shoot, but it feels different. It’s older, wiser, and—as she puts it—"reclaimed."