Miley Cyrus, Growing Up, Tests Identities

Miley Cyrus will turn 18 in November, though she�s been an adult for some time now. Ever since a suggestive 2008 Vanity Fair photo shoot thrust her out of the Disney cocoon into the mainstream consciousness, she�s been the subject of speculation, concern and fear. Ms. Cyrus, the chatterers argued, was in trouble but could still be saved. And yet innocence has never been the core of Ms. Cyrus�s appeal. As the star of the Disney Channel�s �Hannah Montana� series, she plays a knowing character � regular kid by day, pop star by night � who understands the duality of celebrity. Being famous is work, and not always of the glamorous kind.

A similar duality is now beginning to undo Ms. Cyrus in real life, where she�s still tied inextricably to her Disney identity but looking for a safe landing spot. As surely as the teen idol is a part of pop culture, so is the molting of her shiny veneer.

Last week Ms. Cyrus released �Can�t Be Tamed� (Hollywood), the first album that�s shown the frayed seams of her identity. But Ms. Cyrus�s metamorphosis isn�t nearly as radical as �Can�t Be Tamed� � the title track, the video, the title � would suggest. Rather, she�s evolving into something far less controversial: a pop star, confused like all the rest of them.