Miley Cyrus

The daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus (famous for his hit Achy Breaky Heart), Miley was born into showbiz. She grew up on a farm near Nashville, attended the local People's Church, took acting lessons at nine and appeared in her father's TV series Doc. In 2003, she featured in the fantasy drama movie Big Fish and, after a series of auditions, her energy and charm impressed the Disney Channel so much they gave her the lead role of Miley Stewart in teen series Hannah Montana, first aired in March 2004. Overnight she became a household name, idolised both for her acting and singing. She was heavily featured on various Hannah Montana albums and tours but when, in 2008, she finally stepped out of her Hannah Montana alter ego to record Breakout, her first studio album of mostly self-written songs, it went straight to Number 1.