Miley Cyrus certainly knows how to get people talking.
The 21-year-old "Party in the USA" singer opened up to host Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS FM radio show Monday, where she revealed her reasoning behind letting a homeless man accept her award. Jesse Helt, Cyrus's friend, accepted the Moonman when "Wrecking Ball" won for Video of the Year at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards this past Sunday.
The former Disney darling said she was well aware that people would still be talking about her controversial performance at last year's awards show, where the young singer was seen twerking and grinding up against singer Robin Thicke as they performed a duet version of "Blurred Lines."
Cyrus said her performance made her realize the power behind her fame and that she needed to use it for good deeds. During her acceptance speech, the singer decided to raise awareness about homeless youth.
"I just didn't realize my platform, I didn't realize my power," the singer told Seacrest. "And I think I really realized it after the VMAs [last year]...there's something special and there's only a few people that experience this that no matter what I do, there's no winning or losing, it's just going to be talked about. Period."
She went on saying, "I'm going to be on the cover of everything no matter what, and I can't help it. There's going to be talk, so what do I want them to talk about? If I'm going to be given this loud of a voice and this big of an image and this big of a platform and this huge of an opportunity to talk to young people in America right now, what am I really trying to say? Because I don't think what I was trying to say is what happened the year before."
On her Facebook page, Cyrus encouraged her fans to make donations to a shelter called My Friend's Place, a charity that benefits the homeless youth. Those who donate will have a chance to win a trip to her upcoming show in Rio de Janeiro on Sept. 28 and will also get to spend time with the singer backstage.
"The courage that he showed to get up there and give that speech. I didn't know how everyone was going to be and seeing his hands shake, it kind of broke me. I wish they wouldn't have kept putting the camera on me to make it about me crying. I cry when I'm the happiest."
