Miley Cyrus has lived a thousand lives in front of the camera. We’ve seen the wig, the wrecking ball, the psychedelic rock phase, and now, the Grammy-winning "Flowers" era that feels more grounded than anything she’s done before. But if you look closely at the photos of Miley Cyrus with friends over the last few years, you’ll notice something has shifted. She isn’t just hanging out with whoever is famous at the moment. Her circle has become a tight-knit fortress of long-term collaborators, family-like figures, and a few high-profile besties who have survived the meat grinder of child stardom right alongside her.
It’s easy to forget that she’s been doing this since she was practically a toddler. Fame at that level makes "normal" friendship almost impossible. Honestly, most people would have burned every bridge by now.
Instead, Miley seems to have mastered the art of the curated circle. Whether it's a casual dinner in West Hollywood or a high-glamour backstage moment, the people she surrounds herself with tell the story of who she actually is when the stage lights go down. It’s not just about PR. It’s about survival.
The Disney Survivors Club
You can’t talk about Miley’s social life without mentioning the "graduating class" of the late 2000s. There is a specific bond between people who went through the Disney Channel machine. Take Selena Gomez, for example. For years, the media tried to manufacture a rivalry between them. It was the classic "Team Miley vs. Team Selena" narrative that kept tabloids alive in 2008.
Fast forward to the 2020s, and seeing Miley Cyrus with friends like Selena is a lesson in growth. They’ve both been vocal about their mental health journeys and the trauma of being a teen idol. When Miley launched her "Used To Be Young" series on TikTok, she touched on these connections. It’s a peer-to-peer respect that doesn't need to be performative. They get it. They don't have to explain why they're tired or why they're protective of their privacy.
Then there’s Demi Lovato. Their friendship has fluctuated over the decades—which is what happens in real life, right?—but they always seem to gravitate back toward each other. They share a history that no one else can touch.
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The Creative Collaborators Who Became Family
Miley’s work life and social life are basically the same thing at this point. Look at someone like Mike WiLL Made-It. He wasn't just the producer behind Bangerz; he became a core part of her world. Or Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips. That friendship was arguably one of the most influential periods of her career. People thought it was weird. A middle-aged psychedelic rocker and a pop star? But it was exactly what she needed to break the mold. They were inseparable, getting matching tattoos and making experimental music that confused her label.
That’s the thing about Miley. She doesn’t do "acquaintances" well. She dives in deep.
Maxx Morando: More Than Just a Partner
While he’s technically her boyfriend, Maxx Morando is a fixture in the shots we see of Miley Cyrus with friends. He’s a drummer (formerly of The Regrettes, now Liily), and he fits into that low-key, musician-heavy vibe she’s cultivated in Malibu. Since they started dating around 2021, the vibe of her inner circle has noticeably calmed down. It’s less about the wild parties of the mid-2010s and more about studio sessions and quiet gatherings.
The Rock and Roll Godparents
If you want to know why Miley carries herself with such confidence, look at her mentors. Joan Jett, Dolly Parton (obviously), and Stevie Nicks. These aren't just "industry legends" to her. They are the people she calls for advice.
Dolly is her godmother, sure, but their bond is deeper than a title. When Miley hosted her New Year’s Eve parties, Dolly was there. Not just to sing, but to guide. This generational bridge is a huge part of her social identity. She’s a student of the game. By surrounding herself with women who have survived decades in a sexist industry, she’s building a blueprint for her own longevity.
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What We Get Wrong About Celebrity Friendships
Everyone thinks celebrity friendships are for the "gram." Sometimes they are. But with Miley, there’s a distinct lack of "clout chasing" lately. You don’t see her at every fashion week party or influencer brunch.
The people she stays close to—like her sister Noah or her long-time stylist Bradley Kenneth—are her anchors. Bradley, for instance, is responsible for her vintage-heavy, high-glam transformation, but he’s also one of her most frequent companions. It’s a symbiotic relationship built on trust. When you’re that famous, trust is the only currency that matters.
The Malibu Factor
Living in Malibu has changed her circle too. It’s a bit of a bubble. It keeps the hangers-on away. The people who make it into her house in the hills are the ones who have proven they aren't going to leak a story to the press the second they leave the driveway.
The Evolution of the "Squad"
Remember the "squad" era of the 2010s? Every female celebrity had to have a line-up of ten famous friends at every award show. Miley never really played that game. Even during her most rebellious phases, her group was eclectic. It was drag queens from RuPaul's Drag Race, it was her siblings, it was older musicians.
She’s always been an outlier.
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Today, seeing Miley Cyrus with friends looks like a woman who is finally comfortable in her own skin. She doesn't need a parade of people to validate her. She needs a few people who knew her before she was "Miley" and a few people who love her because she is.
How to Curate Your Own Inner Circle (The Miley Way)
You don't need to be a pop star to learn from the way Miley handles her relationships. Most of us keep people around out of habit or obligation. Miley’s history shows that it’s okay to let people drift away if they don't fit your current "era," as long as you keep the ones who actually see you.
- Prioritize Shared History: There is a reason she keeps her siblings and long-term collaborators close. You can't replace the perspective of someone who saw you struggle before you were successful.
- Seek Out Mentors: Don't just hang out with people your own age. Finding "godparent" figures in your field can provide a level of stability that peers just can't offer.
- Mix Business with Genuine Connection: If you spend 10 hours a day working with someone, they should probably be someone you'd actually want to grab a coffee with.
- Protect Your Privacy: Notice how little we actually know about Miley's day-to-day hangouts compared to 2013? That's intentional. The strongest friendships happen when the phone is face-down on the table.
The reality is that Miley Cyrus with friends isn't a headline anymore because she's finally achieved what every celebrity wants: a private life that is actually private. She has nothing left to prove to the public about who she knows or who she hangs out with. That, in itself, is the ultimate power move.
If you're looking to follow her lead, start by auditing who you give your energy to. It might be time to stop performing your friendships for an audience and start living them for yourself. Focus on the quality of the connection rather than the quantity of the invites. True loyalty doesn't need a hashtag.