“It’s a transition,” Miley Cyrus says of her new EP, “The Time Of Our Lives”. “[It's] to introduce people to what I want my next record to sound like.” If “solo” debut “Breakout” established the “Hannah Montana” star as a performer in her own right, this brief collection is another step in that direction. Although it still boasts a couple of frothy, “Hannah”-esque party anthems, Cyrus really shines when her inner ballad diva comes out, as on “When I Look At You”. The cut is also on the soundtrack to “The Last Song”, an upcoming coming-of-age drama starring Miley as someone besides Hannah.

by Mark Emge

“Livin’ two lives is a little weird,” sings Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana on her signature track, “The Best of Both Worlds”. “Hannah Montana: The Movie” and its soundtrack also wrangle with dichotomies–pop and country, California and Tennessee, Disney and non-Disney. Given the huge success of the TV series and concert movie, it was inevitable that there would be a big-screen Hannah Montana story, but it’s almost uncanny how the movie’s storyline echoes Disney’s efforts to separate Cyrus’ stardom from Montana’s. The soundtrack’s “Hoedown Throwdown” tries to have it both ways, straddling the fine line between parody of down-home fun and tribute–before falling on its face.

by Mark Emge

Spoiler alert! In “Hannah Montana: The Movie”, Miley (Miley Cyrus) becomes overwhelmed with her alter-ego Hannah Montana’s popularity. After she catfights over a pair of shoes with Tyra Banks, her father, Robby (Billy Ray Cyrus), tricks Miley into going back to her hometown, Crowley Corners, Tennessee, to reflect on the things that really matter in her life. While there, Miley has a rough time readjusting to farm life, although she develops a deep crush on Travis Brody (Lucas Till), a childhood friend. Trouble starts when a local, who knows her secret identity, plans on exposing Miley for his own gain. “There’s always gonna be another mountain,” she sings in “The Climb”. So true.

by Mark Emge

Teen star Miley Cyrus may have only been born in the ’90s, but she is taking on the ’80s in style, thanks to her cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. The track is also the latest single to be taken from Cyrus’ “Breakout” album. The sweet 16-year-old pop sweetheart was one of America’s hottest commodities in 2008. In fact, she beat out most pop culture icons by being one of the most traded names on eBay. According to the website, 223,139 “Hannah Montana” or Miley Cyrus items were exchanged during the year. Take that Madonna, (she was only traded 96,511 times).

by Marijke van Niekerk