Miley Cyrus recalls controversial moment when she wore red lipstick for first time

Miley Cyrus took a trip down memory lane, albeit an upsetting one, as she reflected on her controversial 2008 Vanity Fair cover.

In her TikTok series inspired by her new single, Used To Be Young, in which she looks back important moments throughout her career, Cyrus talked about what actually went down during the photoshoot and what had inspired it.

“Everybody knows the controversy of the photo, but they don’t really know the behind-the-scenes, which is always much more meaningful,” she said.

Cyrus, who was only 15 at the time, had posed in a near-nude photo, draped in white sheet, in photos captured photographer Annie Leibovitz. The controversial shoot also featured images with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus.

“My little sister Noah [Cyrus] was sitting on Annie’s lap and actually pushing the button of the camera taking the pictures,” she recalled. “My family was on set and this was the first time I ever wore red lipstick.”

The Grammy-winning musician, 30, shared that the red lipstick was an important aspect of the look because her makeup artist believed it would bring a clear distinction between her and her Disney character.

“Pati Dubroff, who did my makeup, thought that that would be another element that would divide me from Hannah Montana,” Cyrus explained.

“This image of me is a complete opposite of the bubble gum pop star that I had been known for being, and that’s what was so upsetting. But, really, really brilliant choices looking back now from those people.”