Miley Cyrus’ infamous MTV Video Music Awards performance in 2013 helped her realise the "power of [her] platform".
The 27-year-old singer became a talking point after her controversial appearance at the VMAs seven years ago, when she took to the stage in a latex bra and pants, and twerked alongside Robin Thicke.
And now, Miley has said the reaction to her performance made her realise "how much attention" was on her, and encouraged her to use her platform for good.
She explained: "I really woke up to that during the VMAs in 2013, because I realised how much attention could be on me for such a silly reason. I was a sexy bear. I mean, doesn’t everyone when they’re in their 20s dress as a sexy bear at some point? I wasn’t doing anything that different than, like, probably one of the college Halloween parties.
"The idea that I can create so much noise … but it’s only focused on me, it’s only focused on my performance. It doesn’t feel like there’s a greater purpose. And I realised the power of my platform and how many people I could get talking. And, I’m like, what if this talking then turned into conversations? Come up with healthy debating, people being heard. Just kind of redirecting some of the focus."
The ‘Midnight Sky’ hitmaker says she didn’t understand why people made a "big deal" out of her performance, when there are more important issues to tackle.
Speaking during an appearance on Mix 104.1’s ‘Karson & Kennedy Talk with Famous People’, she added: "Is it really that big of a deal that I came and got naked, dressed as a teddy bear? We were shooting the VMAs in LA, coming out of Staples Centre, and I live in one of the capitals of the most homelessness in any other city in America. It felt backwards. It felt wrong."