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Lainey Wilson joined Miley Cyrus on a duet version of “Younger You,” the sentimental ballad that Cyrus debuted at the end of the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special.
The duet marked a full circle moment for Wilson, 33, who spent five years working as a Hannah Montana impersonator as a teen.
“Hey, little Lainey, you have a song coming out with Miley Cyrus tomorrow,” Wilson shared in a message to her younger self when she announced the collaboration in a clip on Instagram on Thursday (April 16). That clip included glimpses of a younger Wilson, presumably in her days as a Hannah Montana impersonator, taking the stage. Cyrus’ mom, Tish Cyrus, and her sister, Brandi Cyrus, commented on Wilson’s post. Brandi beamed, “obsessed with this full circle moment!!!!! 🫶🏼🫶🏼” The reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year posted a cover of the heartfelt ballad earlier this week, subtly stirring anticipation for the duet. “Younger You” featuring Wilson arrived on Friday (April 17).
Cyrus, 33, kickstarted her career with the iconic breakout role, playing a typical teen who secretly lives a double life as a famous pop star. Hannah Montana premiered on March 24, 2006, and the finale aired on January 16, 2011. Cyrus commemorated the beloved show with a 20th anniversary special on March 24, which included the first-ever performance of “Younger You,” in addition to many other heartfelt moments. Wilson wore a glamorous jumpsuit as she attended the premiere.
“It's crazy that we're putting this documentary out [Lainey Wilson: Keepin’ Country Cool, premiering on Netflix on April 22], and it shows a little bit of my Hannah Montana journey, and then Miley did her Hannah-versary,” Wilson told PEOPLE in an interview for the publication’s cover story. “It feels pretty serendipitous.
“I told her [Cyrus] impersonating Hannah really showed me, like, ‘OK, if you want this, if you want to do this not as Hannah Montana but as yourself, you're going to have to go get it,’ she said later in her interview with the publication. “I wasn't really even old enough to be driving, but I was going to Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana trying to play in front of whoever I possibly could. …It taught me that this wasn't going to be easy, but it was going to be fun.”
Days after the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special premiered, Wilson took the stage with a medley of hits at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards. After her performance, she introduced Cyrus to the stage to accept the Innovator Award. Cyrus said at the time, “younger me is so honored to share this moment with you and I'm proud to stand here today and tell you how much you mean to me. This really is the life!”
Wilson previously honored Cyrus with a cover of of “The Best of Both Worlds,” a classic Hannah Montana anthem and the show’s theme song, in August 2024. Cyrus made history when she became the youngest-ever Disney Legend. She was 31.
“Those full circle moments where you’re just like, ‘you can’t make this up,’ you know?” Wilson said during a recent appearance on No Filter, an Australia-based interview podcast hosted by Kate Langbroek. “I told her, I was like, Hannah Montana meant a lot to me. It kept some money in the bank for five years for me. She has influenced more people than I think that she even realizes. …I think she is a rock star. She’s a rock star.”