I watched the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special and got teary-eyed despite never watching the show as a child.
I was born in 2007. Hannah Montana premiered in 2006. I missed the Hannah-mania of her face in every department store, the sold-out arena tours and blockbuster films. By the time I was old enough to even hold a remote control and use it to watch what I wanted, the show was in its final season and Miley couldn’t be tamed. Obviously.
So why did I feel the need to start sobbing once Cyrus started performing her new song, "Younger You", at the end of the special?
Hannah Montana was the blueprint of every pop girlie that came after her. Everyone was a bit thrown off when Chappell Roan made an appearance during the special, but I get it. Chappell even says in her moment with Miley, “You literally walked so I could run. You took a lot of the heat for that… I don't have to deal with that as much because you really... the world took it out on you”.
Even Lady Gaga owned Hannah Montana lip gloss. She was a cultural force to be reckoned with and a safe space for so many women and young people. Knowing that she shared a connection with so many people meant so much to me while watching.
Hollywood Records tried the Hannah/Miley formula time and time again. Give a Disney kid a mic and see what sticks. Miley did it first, but her successors made my childhood; Bridgit Mendler, Zendaya and Sabrina Carpenter all had amazing debut projects that made me consider the fact that you could be a character and a real person at the same time. They were my Hannah Montana and I’m okay with that.
Here are my five favorite Hannah Montana songs as someone who never watched the show. Hopefully the millennials will let me breathe in the Ticketmaster war for a 25th anniversary tour.