Nov. 23: Miley Cyrus is 18 today.

Born Destiny Hope Cyrus in 1992 in Nashville, Tennessee, Miley is best known for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana and for her pop music success. She is considered a teen idol with the younger set due to success of the Hannah Montana franchise. Her father is country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

It's been reported her parents named her Destiny Hope because they believed that she would accomplish great things with her life. They gave her the nickname "Smiley" - later shortened to "Miley" - because she smiled so often as a baby.

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In 2006, when she was 13, Cyrus recorded music for the soundtracks, Hannah Montana and in the following year, Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus, released by Walt Disney Records. Three years ago, Miley embarked on a solo music career.

She went on the "Best of Both Worlds Tour" the same year, in which she performed as both herself and in character as Hannah Montana. The tour turned into a high-grossing concert film entitled Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert. In July 2008, Cyrus released her first solo album, Breakout.

She began to cultivate an adult image in 2009 with the release of The Time of Our Lives which features a more mainstream pop sound and includes her popular single, "Party in the U.S.A." She also starred in the film The Last Song, a coming-of-age drama.

In 2009, Cyrus earned a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for her performance of the animated film Bolt's theme song, "I Thought I Lost You." That same year, She also reprised her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana in Hannah Montana: The Movie.

A studio album titled Can't Be Tamed was released in 2010 and presents a new dance-pop sound. The music video and lyrics of the album's lead single, "Can't Be Tamed," portrays a more sexualized image for the entertainer.

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Miley Cyrus ranked number thirteen on Forbes' 2010 Celebrity 100.