LOS ANGELES — Billy Ray Cyrus is coming to the defense of his daughter Miley after she was accused of pushing the limits with a provacative dance at the Teen Choice Awards earlier this month.
"You know what? I just think that Miley loves entertaining people," the 47-year-old country crooner told Access Hollywood at Thursday's Hellman's/Facebook Feeding American Event in New York City. "She loves singing [and] songwriting."
During the controversial performance, the 16-year-old star climbed atop an ice cream cart and shimmied alongside a pole protruding from its top as she sang her new single, "Party in the USA." Following the show, many expressed outrage across blogs and columns, but the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer said he encouraged his daughter to block out the negative feedback.
"I always tell her to love what you're doing and stay focused for the love of the art and not worry so much about opinion," he said.
Last year, the "Hannah Montana" star drew criticism when she posed semi-nude for a photo spread in Vanity Fair. She later apologized for the shoot with notorious photographer Annie Leibovitz.
"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," she said at the time. "I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about."
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