New Music, Chappell Roan, Taylor Swift Tea: Takeaways from the ‘Hannah Montana’ Special

Hannahversary New Music, Chappell Roan, Taylor Swift Tea: Takeaways from the ‘Hannah Montana’ Special Miley Cyrus celebrated the 20th anniversary of the show that introduced her to the world in a nostalgic special By Maya Georgi Maya Georgi Contact Maya Georgi on X Contact Maya Georgi by Email View all posts by Maya Georgi March 24, 2026 Twenty years ago, Hannah Montana premiered on Disney Channel, leaving an indelible mark on pop culture for decades to come. Now, Miley Cyrus has found her way back home to Disney studios to celebrate the special anniversary of the show that transformed her from an ordinary girl from Tennessee into a worldwide rockstar sensation. In honor of that pivotal moment, Cyrus dyed her hair blonde and helped bring the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special to life for Disney+, teaming up with super fan Alex Cooper to put the show together. The hour-long special features Cyrus performing Hannah Montana tracks she hasn’t played live in more than a decade, an interview between the singer and Cooper, celebrity appearances, a rebuilt set identical to the show’s original one, and a healthy dose of late-aughts nostalgia. It’s a fan-forward event meant to bring everyone who diligently watched all four seasons of the show, from 2006 till 2012, back to those brighter days. “Hannah, she gave me my start but my fans gave me this life,” Cyrus says at one point. Read our key takeaways below. It’s the Best of Both Worlds — Miley Performs a New Song Cyrus opens what she called the “Hannahversary” with the series meta theme song “The Best of Both Worlds” and later dove into a sing-along version of “This Is the Life.” It’s quite special seeing an adult Cyrus, dressed as Hannah, singing these old songs, especially when she whips out the cinematic number “The Climb.” But Cyrus brought on all the tears with “Younger You,” a heartbreaking new song she penned just for the anniversary. “Hey you, it’s younger you / I’m just checking in to see if you still remember m...