It’s not easy being Miley Cyrus—which might explain why only one person has so far pulled it off. The “Wrecking Ball” singer has spent years now walking on the soap-thin bubble of public perception that divides “self-destructing hot mess,” “attention-seeking provocateur,” and “legitimate, credible artist,” always staying one step ahead of being irrevocably pigeonholed. A naked concert here, a Twitter feud there, a charismatic Bill Murray collaboration on the side: it’s a delicate balancing act, and one that most rising artists would need guidance to successfully pull off.
Guidance they’re going to get, apparently, with Cyrus announcing today that she’s been tapped to serve as a “key adviser” on the tenth season of NBC’s swivel-chair singing show spectacular The Voice. Stepping into a role previously filled by artists like Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Cyrus will serve as a mentor to performers on teams assembled by coaches Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Pharrell Williams. Never one to shirk her duties, Cyrus has already started teaching Miley 101 to prospective candidates, announcing her tenure with a Twitter picture of herself impishly licking Aguilera’s “button.”