Miley Cyrus Explains How ‘II Most Wanted’ Beyoncé Duet Came to Be: ‘It Encompasses Our Relationship’

Miley Cyrus was a ride-or-die pal of Beyoncé‘s long before their “II Most Wanted” collaboration dropped on the latter’s Cowboy Carter earlier this year.

And in her new W Magazine cover story published Monday (June 3), the “Flowers” singer opened up about how her yearslong friendship with Queen Bey indirectly inspired their decision to team up on the country-Western duet. “I wrote that song, like, two and a half years ago,” she said of “II Most Wanted,” which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April. “When Beyoncé reached out to me about music, I thought of it right away because it really encompasses our relationship.”

“I told her, ‘We don’t have to get ­country; we are country. We’ve been country,’” she continued. “Getting to write a song, not just sing, for Beyoncé was a dream come true.”

Cyrus added that she’s been tight with the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer since they both participated in a 2008 performance for Stand Up to Cancer alongside Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and more female stars. “I was ­sandwiched between Beyoncé and Rihanna,” she recalled, noting that she was just 14 at the time. “They were protective of me.”

The Hannah Montana alum added that she often chats with Bey over text, sometimes discussing the similarities between their moms. “I think it’s a really cute part of our relationship, because over the past couple of years, I’ve really locked down on my privacy and on what I share with the public,” Cyrus told the publication. “She’s the same way. Part of our relationship is the safety between us.”

Both women were present at the 2024 Grammys in February, where Cyrus won awards for the first time, thanks to “Flowers” nabbing both best pop solo performance and record of the year. In the interview, the “Wrecking Ball” musician was candid about the milestone, revealing that she feels as though the recognition was long overdue.

“No shade, but I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and this is my first time actually being taken seriously at the Grammys,” she said. “I’ve had a hard time figuring out what the measurement is there, because if we want to talk stats and numbers, then where the f–k was I? And if you want to talk, like, impact on culture, then where the f–k was I? This is not about arrogance. I am proud of myself.”

See Cyrus’ W cover, plus photos from the shoot, below.