Miley Cyrus is known for being unapologetically real, and in her latest podcast appearance, she doesn’t disappoint. On a new episode of Spotify’s Every Single Album, the Grammy winner reflected on a bizarre, emotional, and oddly iconic moment in pop culture history: recording “Party in the USA” the same week the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, passed away.
“It was such a weird vibe,” Miley confessed. “I’m cutting this upbeat, celebratory song while literally the whole world was mourning Michael Jackson. It just felt off.”
But it wasn’t all sad — behind the scenes, Miley was juggling more than just vocals. She was also filming The Last Song, the film that would introduce her to then-future husband, Liam Hemsworth. “That was the time I met Liam,” she shared. “I was falling in love, filming a movie, recording a hit… it was a lot.”
And while fans still belt out “Party in the USA” every Fourth of July, Miley confessed she wasn’t exactly hyped to record it at the time. “I was dragging my feet,” she admitted, revealing she only agreed to finish a verse and chorus if her team promised her a trip to Sonic. Yep, fast food was her bargaining chip.
“That was honestly the bribe. I was like, ‘I’ll do this, but someone better get me a Cherry Limeade,’” she joked.
The song, written by Jessie J and produced by Dr. Luke, was originally meant for someone else, but Miley made it her own — swapping in Britney Spears shout-outs and, later on tour, even switching “Jay-Z” to “MJ” in a bittersweet nod to Michael Jackson.
Now, 15 years later, Miley can look back and laugh. “It’s still the hardest song in my set to sing,” she admitted. “But I love the energy it brings.”
Between unexpected chart-toppers, summer romances with future husbands, and Sonic drive-thru runs, Miley’s story behind ‘Party in the USA’ is peak 2009 — chaotic, iconic, and oh-so Miley.
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