Noah Cyrus Felt Overshadowed By Her Big Sister Miley's Success – How She Is Thriving Now At 26 In 50+ Photos

Growing up as the younger sister of "Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus meant living in the spotlight for Noah Cyrus. But behind the fame were painful comparisons, family drama, and personal battles. Now at 26, she appears stronger than ever.

Growing up famous sounds glamorous, but for Noah Cyrus, it often meant being compared to someone else before she even had a chance to become herself.

Scroll through the gallery below to see how Noah transformed from "Miley Cyrus' little sister" into an artist finding her own voice, and why the journey wasn't easy.

The Girl Living in Miley's Shadow

From the moment Noah Cyrus was born into the Cyrus family, the spotlight was already shining. Her father was country star Billy Ray Cyrus, and her older sister Miley Cyrus would go on to become one of the biggest pop stars in the world.

But growing up surrounded by fame had an unexpected downside. In an interview with NPR, Noah once admitted: "I was, to the public eye, Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter and Miley Cyrus' little sister, and that hurt me. Because I felt as if I lost my own identity."

"After a certain amount of time, that makes you feel like nobody knows who you are, and that makes you feel like no one cares about you or your identity," she continued.

The pressure began early. According to TMRW Magazine, Noah spent much of her early teenage years hiding from the world. From ages 12 to 17, she often stayed in her room with the lights off as a way to escape the bullying and comparisons online. "Being in my room with the lights off, hiding from the world, that's not a way to live for such a young girl," she later said.

The Pressure of Growing Up in the Spotlight

As the comments and comparisons piled up, Noah began struggling with her mental health.

"I struggle with depression and anxiety, and I have since I was very young. And I also have suffered from body and face dysmorphia. I just could not look in a mirror, and my eyes would water, and I would cry, and I'd tell my mom how much I hate myself and how ugly I feel," she revealed in the NPR interview.

She explained that public pressure made her feel invisible. "I just feel like this speck in the universe that didn't matter, and that the universe didn't care to hear from me. They didn't care what I had to say. They didn't want me here. That's how I felt."

Opening up About the Pain Behind the Lyrics

Eventually, Noah addressed the issue directly through her music. As reported by news outlets, during an emotional Instagram Live, she opened up about the painful comparisons she had heard growing up.

"It was absolutely unbearable," she said, according to Cosmopolitan. "And that's why I write, 'My sister's like sunshine, bringing good light wherever she'll go/and I was born to rain clouds, blessed in her shadows.' Because, that's why everybody always says to me, that no matter what, I was going to be in that shadow."

According to People, during the emotional conversation about her song, she reportedly revealed just how deeply the criticism had affected her.

"I think just the message in the second verse, being born in the family I was in, everyone gave me such a hard time for having a hard time being Miley's little sister," she explained. "But you know, I always felt like I was that person that no one gave a s--- about due to what people said to me online."

Noah admitted that she had long believed she would never escape those comparisons.

"That was something I heard my whole life, every single day, my whole life. It was either that or that I wasn't enough in some way, whether it was the way I look or the way I am. Like I said the other day, sometimes I feel like I don't even breathe right sometimes," she shared.

Turning Hurt Into Music

The singer said the emotional weight of those experiences ultimately inspired her music. "Basically, that is what the song is about, and I just wanted to open up about that once and for all, because that's been a big part of my life, and I probably won't talk about it anymore. I just wanted to put it out," she continued.

And despite knowing how public attention works, Noah admitted the criticism was hard to ignore. "Everybody always says you're giving the people power by seeing it, but I can't control seeing it," Noah tearfully added. "You guys are young, you know the internet. It's been really tough on me, so that song is just pretty tough to get through."

Pain, Addiction, and Family Drama

As Noah grew older, she began channeling those painful emotions into music. Speaking to L'Officiel USA, the singer explained that her work often reflects her struggles with mental health.

"This EP is mostly just about how my emotions have been, and about my anxiety, and about how I've been struggling with depression and how it's okay to feel those feelings," she said. "It's about being sad and having your emotions and not being able to ignore the feelings you're having."

Her Battle with Addiction

Behind the scenes, things were still difficult. According to Rolling Stone, Noah developed an addiction to Xanax before eventually entering recovery in late 2020. Her recovery became a turning point. The emotional process helped shape her debut album, "The Hardest Part," which explored heartbreak, anxiety, and healing.

Meanwhile, drama within the Cyrus family also made headlines. After Noah's parents, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus, ended their 28-year marriage, tensions reportedly ran high within the family. A source told People that Noah remained especially close to her father. "Noah is very loyal to Billy Ray," the insider said. "She and Billy Ray have always had a really close relationship."

The Controversy Around Her Mom's Marriage

The family situation became even more complicated when Tish married actor Dominic Purcell in 2023. The ceremony took place at Miley's Malibu home, according to Vogue, and Miley even walked her mother down the aisle. "Dom and my mom share the sweetest, most genuine love," Miley said during the ceremony.

But Noah's absence from the ceremony's coverage quickly caught fans' attention. Later reports added another surprising detail. According to a source cited by People, Noah and Dominic had previously been seeing each other casually.

The insider claimed Noah "was offended" when her mother later married him. "Noah and Dominic were seeing each other in a friends with benefits way, off and on. They stopped seeing each other, and then Tish started something up," the source said, adding that "Tish knew he had been seeing Noah."

Noah's Transformation at 26

Today, Noah appears to be in a much healthier and happier place. The singer became engaged to fashion designer Pinkus in 2023, and the relationship has brought stability to her life. "My relationship now is a true partnership," she told People. "The journey of it all has been very beautiful, and something that I'm very happy with and very grateful for is our relationship."

A New Outlook on Life

She also shared a dream she once struggled to imagine. "I want to be a mom. This is something that I want more than any other goal in my life. And that also ignited so much more excitement for me. I want to be alive for this; I want this to happen."

"And that was just something that I wasn't used to feeling, because before, I didn't really feel that connected to life. So this is a very strong place that I'm newly in; I'm in the happiest and best, most secure spot I've been in in a very long time," she added.

What A Plastic Surgeon Noticed

At the same time, discussions about her changing appearance have also circulated online. In a 2024 TikTok video, a cosmetic surgeon speculated about possible procedures that may have contributed to the singer's evolving look. The doctor suggested that Noah may have undergone rhinoplasty and facial filler injections, noting that her cheeks, lips, and chin appear more enhanced.

The doctor also pointed to one styling choice that he believes may be affecting the balance of her facial features:

"I also think that one thing that is really throwing things off with her is her shaving her eyebrows. Eyebrows help break up the face into thirds. So when we remove the eyebrows, the top part of the face becomes one unit instead of being broken into two. And that can really throw off the proportions in the balance of the facial features."

However, he also emphasized that natural aging and styling changes could also explain the differences.

Fans Continue to Praise Her New Look

Fans have also noticed a physical transformation. At her recent March 9, 2026, appearance with her mother at the "Reminders of Him" premiere, online reactions were overwhelmingly positive. One commenter wrote, "She's looking so much better nowadays!!! And healthy! Happy for her ❤️."

Another said, "She looks thicker, but it actually looks great on her idk. 🫶🏼" A third person asked, "What happened to her?!" At the event, Noah looked noticeably healthier, with many social media viewers praising what they described as a more confident and natural version of the singer.

A person noted, "Noah looks incredible with the added weight. I love how happy and healthy she looks," while another stated, "Noah looks healthy." A third shared, "This is actually the best I've ever seen Noah look."

From Being Known as 'Miley Cyrus' Little Sister' to Her Own Person

For years, Noah was known to the world as "Miley Cyrus' little sister," but today the singer appears to be fully stepping into her own identity.

After battling anxiety, addiction, family drama, and years of comparisons, she now seems to be entering a new chapter, one defined not by someone else's fame but by her own voice. And judging by her latest photos, Noah might finally be shining on her own terms.