Miley Cyrus recently offered a candid reflection on the profound and often painful impact of her 2013 "Bangerz" album era, particularly discussing the intense backlash she faced during an appearance on Monica Lewinsky's podcast, "Reclaiming." The pop star, who transitioned from her beloved Disney Channel persona in "Hannah Montana" to a more provocative image, described this period as a time when she was "hit so hard" and felt "so embarrassed."

The public reaction to her new image had severe repercussions for her personal life and family relationships. Cyrus shared that her siblings were so humiliated by the controversy surrounding her that they reportedly did not want to go to school. She expressed a deep sense of guilt over the distress her actions caused her family, stating, "I had a lot of guilt about how hard it would’ve been to be my sibling or my parent, and how embarrassing." This feeling extended to her relationship with her father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. She admitted, "It was really hard for me to go home and see my dad and look him in the eyes and not feel super embarrassed."

The "Bangerz" era also significantly strained her romantic life. Cyrus revealed, "No one wanted to date me. Because they didn’t want to be with a woman [whose] sexual expression part was not for them, it was like shared with the world." She indicated that this public persona and its reception were contributing factors to the eventual end of her engagement to actor Liam Hemsworth, feeling she was "sharing a part of myself that men wanted to be saved for them only." During this tumultuous time, Cyrus felt as though she "lost everything."

A particularly damaging episode was her performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). The criticism following her appearance in a "cute little nude bodysuit" led to cruel internet memes, including comparisons to a turkey. This experience deeply affected her body image, making her unable to wear shorts or skirts in public for several years. Cyrus disclosed that even today, she wears "very, you would never think, very modest bathing suits" due to the lasting insecurities that stemmed from that period of intense public scrutiny.

Cyrus also mentioned that undergoing therapy helped her process the shame and emotional toll from that era. She believes the intensity of the shock and backlash was amplified because the public had primarily known her as the wholesome character Hannah Montana, making her transformation all the more jarring for many.