# Younger You
**"Younger You"** is a song by the American singer [Miley Cyrus](https://www.edgepedia.org/miley-cyrus), written for the *Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special* and released as a single by [Hollywood Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/hollywood-records) on March 27, 2026[1](https://www.the360mag.com/miley-cyrus-younger-you/). Cyrus first performed it in the anniversary special, which streamed on Disney+ beginning March 24, 2026, exactly twenty years after the *Hannah Montana* series debuted on [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel)[2](https://pitchfork.com/news/miley-cyrus-shares-new-hannah-montana-song/). The song is a message from her younger self and, in her own framing, to the fans who grew up with the show[2](https://pitchfork.com/news/miley-cyrus-shares-new-hannah-montana-song/) • [3](https://billboardphilippines.com/music/news/miley-cyrus-younger-you-hannah-montana-release-2026/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Artist | Miley Cyrus (solo version); duet version with country singer Lainey Wilson[1](https://www.the360mag.com/miley-cyrus-younger-you/) • [4](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/disneymusic/news/2026-04-20/) |
| Release | March 27, 2026, digital single via Hollywood Records, also available in Dolby Atmos[1](https://www.the360mag.com/miley-cyrus-younger-you/) |
| Length | 2:47[5](https://open.spotify.com/album/3tlEOoxO3h3mkLyLgftdz6) |
| Writers | Miley Cyrus, Michael Pollack, Stefan Johnson, Jordan K. Johnson, Gregory "Aldae" Hein, Jon Bellion[6](https://music.apple.com/us/song/1887385342) |
| Producers | Miley Cyrus, Michael Pollack, The Monsters & Strangerz[6](https://music.apple.com/us/song/1887385342) |
| First performance | *Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special*, Disney+, March 24, 2026[2](https://pitchfork.com/news/miley-cyrus-shares-new-hannah-montana-song/) |
| Duet version | Released April 17, 2026[4](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/disneymusic/news/2026-04-20/) |
## Origin and context
The song was written for the *Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special*, a Disney+ program hosted by Alex Cooper in which Cyrus revisits the series in an in-depth interview, with live performances and cameos from [Chappell Roan](https://www.edgepedia.org/chappell-roan), Selena Gomez, and her parents Tish and [Billy Ray Cyrus](https://www.edgepedia.org/billy-ray-cyrus)[2](https://pitchfork.com/news/miley-cyrus-shares-new-hannah-montana-song/) • [7](https://filmmusicreporter.com/2026/03/27/miley-cyrus-original-song-younger-you-from-disneys-hannah-montana-20th-anniversary-special-soundtrack-released/). In the special, "Younger You" was performed near the end, following the series classics "The Best of Both Worlds" and "This Is the Life" and Cyrus's early hit "The Climb"[8](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/miley-cyrus-attempts-to-do-hannah-montana-justice-on-younger-you).
*Hannah Montana*, the Disney Channel series in which Cyrus played [Miley Stewart](https://www.edgepedia.org/miley-stewart), a teenager leading a double life as a pop star, premiered on March 24, 2006 and ended in 2011; it produced five soundtrack albums, three of which topped the Billboard 200[2](https://pitchfork.com/news/miley-cyrus-shares-new-hannah-montana-song/). The anniversary special marked Cyrus's return to the franchise, and she described the milestone as a chance to see the character and series "from a new perspective"[9](https://apnews.com/article/27130985d898f0108b7972e16b851cd0).
## Lyrics and theme
The song is structured as a message from Cyrus's younger self to her present self, opening with the lines "Hey, you, it's younger you / I'm just checking in to see if you still remember me" and asking whether she still prays before bed or worries instead[10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-dr_KJvmO4). Later verses touch on family and identity, including the lines "I know you're busy with your job, but don't forget to call your mom / And dad too, he misses you"[10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-dr_KJvmO4). Cyrus co-wrote and co-produced the track, and the Japanese Disney Music release describes its lyrics as a message to the self of her teenage years as [Hannah Montana](https://www.edgepedia.org/hannah-montana)[4](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/disneymusic/news/2026-04-20/).
Announcing the release on Instagram, Cyrus wrote, "Younger me has loved celebrating 20 years of Hannah Montana with you. This song is yours as a thank you for the life we've grown through together. I love you always"[2](https://pitchfork.com/news/miley-cyrus-shares-new-hannah-montana-song/). Commentators have read the title in two directions at once, as Cyrus speaking to her younger self and as her speaking to fans who were young when she was[11](https://musicvideosclub.com/miley-cyrus-younger-you/).
## Music video and releases
The official music video was released on the same day as the single, March 27, 2026, and intercuts clips from the anniversary special with scenes from *Hannah Montana: The Movie*, showing present-day Cyrus with the character's blonde hair driving familiar roads and carrying the film's pink makeup chest[2](https://pitchfork.com/news/miley-cyrus-shares-new-hannah-montana-song/) • [3](https://billboardphilippines.com/music/news/miley-cyrus-younger-you-hannah-montana-release-2026/). A separate live-performance video from the special was also released[3](https://billboardphilippines.com/music/news/miley-cyrus-younger-you-hannah-montana-release-2026/).
A new version featuring the country singer [Lainey Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/lainey-wilson), who had worked as a Hannah Montana impersonator before her music career, was released on April 17, 2026[4](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/disneymusic/news/2026-04-20/) • [12](https://www.laughingplace.com/disney-entertainment/miley-cyrus-lainey-wilson-younger-you/). A 7-inch vinyl single pairing the solo version with the Wilson duet followed on July 24, 2026[13](https://www.universalmusic.it/popular-music/album/younger-you-b-w-younger-you-featuring-lainey-wilson-_39293670643/).
## Commercial performance
In its first week of radio promotion, "Younger You" was the most-added song at Mediabase-monitored hot adult contemporary radio in the United States, with pickups from 35 stations, ahead of [Harry Styles](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-styles)' "[American Girls](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-girls-harry-styles-song)" with 19[14](https://headlineplanet.com/home/2026/03/30/miley-cyrus-younger-you-ranks-as-hot-adult-contemporary-radios-most-added-song/). In Australia, the track debuted at number 27 on the national airplay chart[15](https://radioinfo.com.au/news/miley-cyrus-turns-back-time-with-younger-you-rcs-media-monitors/). On the review aggregator Album of the Year, the single held a user score of 76 based on 120 ratings, and was tagged as country pop and folk pop[16](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1741749-miley-cyrus-younger-you-from-the-hannah-montana-20th-anniversary-special.php).
## Reception
Critical responses varied. The Exclaim! review called the song "just fine, if a little cloying," describing it as a time-capsule letter to herself that capped an anniversary special the reviewer found underwhelming[8](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/miley-cyrus-attempts-to-do-hannah-montana-justice-on-younger-you). The Japanese Disney Music release reported that the song drew a large response from fans, who responded to its emotional message to Cyrus's teenage self[4](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/disneymusic/news/2026-04-20/).
## References
1. [Miley Cyrus Releases Song 'Younger You', 360 Magazine](https://www.the360mag.com/miley-cyrus-younger-you/)
2. [Miley Cyrus Shares New Hannah Montana Song, Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/news/miley-cyrus-shares-new-hannah-montana-song/)
3. [Miley Cyrus Gets Nostalgic On Her New Single "Younger You", Billboard Philippines](https://billboardphilippines.com/music/news/miley-cyrus-younger-you-hannah-montana-release-2026/)
4. [「ハンナ・モンタナ」20周年記念、マイリー・サイラスがレイニー・ウィルソンを迎えて「Younger You」の新バージョンをリリース, Disney Music (Universal Music Japan)](https://www.universal-music.co.jp/disneymusic/news/2026-04-20/)
5. [Younger You (From the "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special") - Single, Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/album/3tlEOoxO3h3mkLyLgftdz6)
6. [Younger You (From the "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special") - Song, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/song/1887385342)
7. [Miley Cyrus' Original Song 'Younger You' Released, Film Music Reporter](https://filmmusicreporter.com/2026/03/27/miley-cyrus-original-song-younger-you-from-disneys-hannah-montana-20th-anniversary-special-soundtrack-released/)
8. [Miley Cyrus Attempts to Do Hannah Montana Justice on "Younger You", Exclaim!](https://exclaim.ca/music/article/miley-cyrus-attempts-to-do-hannah-montana-justice-on-younger-you)
9. [Now a true pop star, Miley Cyrus returns to her 'Hannah Montana' roots, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/27130985d898f0108b7972e16b851cd0)
10. [Miley Cyrus - Younger You (Official Video), YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-dr_KJvmO4)
11. [Miley Cyrus - Younger You, Music Videos Club](https://musicvideosclub.com/miley-cyrus-younger-you/)
12. [Miley & Lainey Wilson Duet on Hannah Montana 20's Younger You, Laughing Place](https://www.laughingplace.com/disney-entertainment/miley-cyrus-lainey-wilson-younger-you/)
13. [Younger You b/w Younger You (featuring Lainey Wilson), Universal Music Italia](https://www.universalmusic.it/popular-music/album/younger-you-b-w-younger-you-featuring-lainey-wilson-_39293670643/)
14. [Miley Cyrus' "Younger You" Ranks As Hot Adult Contemporary Radio's Most Added Song, Headline Planet](https://headlineplanet.com/home/2026/03/30/miley-cyrus-younger-you-ranks-as-hot-adult-contemporary-radios-most-added-song/)
15. [Miley Cyrus turns back time with 'Younger You', RadioInfo Australia](https://radioinfo.com.au/news/miley-cyrus-turns-back-time-with-younger-you-rcs-media-monitors/)
16. [Younger You (From the "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special"), Album of The Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1741749-miley-cyrus-younger-you-from-the-hannah-montana-20th-anniversary-special.php)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Compositions and songs › Musical-theater, film, television, and game songs › Television songs and themes*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license