Montana

Welcome to the Hannah Montana Generation of Pop Music

Published

2 years ago

July 7, 2024

Welcome to the Hannah Montana Generation of Pop Music

When Sabrina Carpenter was six, she watched Disney’s Hannah Montana and realized exactly who she wanted to be.

“I remember…watching the pilot and being like ‘I want to do that. I want to sing, and I want to act, and I want to dance. I want to do all those things,’’ she said in a 2020 interview. Three years later, Carpenter would end up getting her big break because of the show’s star Miley Cyrus, competing in the MileyWorld Superstar Contest to get a record deal. She placed third but still found her way to Disney and a music career within a few years’ time, thanks to being cast on Girl Meets World.

From 2006 to 2011, it was impossible to avoid the phenomenon that was Hannah Montana and, subsequently, Miley Cyrus. The premise was peak kid show brilliance: By day, Cyrus’ Miley Stewart was a normal high school girl with normal high school problems; by night, she’d throw on a blonde wig and turned into her superstar counterpart Hannah Montana. Montana’s rock star life was glittery pop fun, churning out some of the best Disney-associated music of its era and translating to real Top 40 hits. It also turned Cyrus into a megastar, one who seemed to be transforming into a real-life Hannah Montana right before the worlds’ eyes as she began debuting songs under her own name.

Carpenter is not the only Gen Z pop star of the moment who found their calling from watching the show. Chappell Roan has continuously pointed to her fandom of Hannah Montana as the starting point for her own ambitions. During a show in NYC back in early 2023, Roan even performed in Hannah Montana drag for a few songs. Meanwhile, videos and photos from Olivia Rodrigo’s childhood show off her pre-pubescent love for the show (and like Carpenter, she had also gotten her start on the same channel as Cyrus before mounting an even bigger singing career). The more divisive JoJo Siwa credits the show with her own origins, with her mom telling Rolling Stone years ago that she wanted her daughter “to be the next Hannah Montana.” (Siwa more recently has cited Cyrus’ Bangerz era as the primary inspiration for her more adult career pivot).

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The effects of Hannah Montana’s success was immediate in many ways, spurring the careers of her then-Disney peers like Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers and the shows and movies they each carried. But the impact of the show and Cyrus’ star power is finally being felt in full-force these days. We are now entering the Hannah Montana Generation of pop stars: young artists who are not just evoking the frilly and bold aesthetic and unapologetically sugary sweet music of the show but also the type of larger-than-life persona Montana had in comparison to “real-life” Stewart. Carpenter is the prime example of leaning into the Hannah Montana-ification of her own career and brand: in recent years, she has leaned into the high-femme styling, make-up and big blonde hair that has become her signature look when performing. It’s been translating even more into her latest string of releases, with songs like “Feather,” “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” matching that coy, pastels-and-bejeweled-hearts, girlish persona she heightens on camera.

Like Carpenter, Roan’s own music in the years leading up to recent global success has been a mix of both earnestly confessional songs and big, bold arena-worthy pop anthems. Recently viral hits like “Hot to Go!” and “Femininomenon” feel like exactly the type of songs an older Hannah Montana would make, progressing the bravado of songs like “Rock Star” mixed with the ear-worminess of “Nobody’s Perfect” or “The Best of Both Worlds.”

It’s probably no coincidence that during the era of her influence looming the most, Cyrus herself has been having a career renaissance of sorts. Her 2023 single “Flowers” became her biggest song-to-date, a feat for someone nearly 20 years into a career chock full of platinum-selling hit songs. She also took home her first Grammy Awards at this year’s ceremony, a long-overdue honor that Cyrus celebrated on-stage with a head-turning performance during the telecast. Unlike her numerous other head-turning televised performances, the focus was on her singing and stage-presence and nothing else.

This is just the beginning of the world seeing the Hannah Montana Generation take over. Carpenter and Roan have been hustling to become the type of hit-makers they are now for years respectively — and who knows how many other young kids who learned how to both make and perform a truly great pop song from Cyrus’ are still waiting in the wings for their time to shine.

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March 5 recap: Missoula and Western Montana news you may have missed today

Published

3 hours ago

March 6, 2026

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March 5 recap: Missoula and Western Montana news you may have missed today

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Montana

Montana GOP won’t endorse in federal races this cycle • Daily Montanan

Published

15 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Montana GOP won’t endorse in federal races this cycle • Daily Montanan

Although newly minted GOP candidates for the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have garnered heavyweight endorsements, the Montana Republican Party said Thursday it won’t throw its support behind any candidates for federal office in the primary.

“The Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) stands behind its deep bench of qualified candidates seeking to represent Montanans and supports a competitive primary process to let voters pick their preferred candidates,” the Montana GOP said in a news release Thursday.

Monday, U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke announced he was retiring due to health concerns once his term ends, and he immediately tapped talk-show host Aaron Flint as his preferred successor in Congress.

Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Flathead County Republican Central Committee Chairperson Al Olszewski also filed for the U.S. House as Republicans, as did Ray Curtis of Bonner.

Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines withdrew, and in a statement the same night, announced an endorsement of former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, who had filed the same day.

In the Senate, Lee Calhoun and Charles Walking Child also filed to run in the Republican primary.

Endorsements for Flint and Alme cascaded. U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed both candidates, and U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy and Gov. Greg Gianforte threw their weight behind Flint and Alme.

Late on Wednesday, the Montana GOP did not immediately have comment on the news Daines, Montana’s senior U.S. senator, had resigned, but Thursday, the party thanked Zinke and Daines for their service.

A news release said the party would not endorse any candidates in the federal primary and would leave the job in the hands of voters.

“The party hopes every candidate will make their case to the public, contrasting their Republican policies and principles with those of Democrats — as well as phony ‘Independents,’” the news release said.

Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar announced a run for the U.S. Senate as an independent this week.

A tension within the Republican party has emerged in recent years between hardline conservatives and more moderate members, and some legislative primaries illustrate the split.

This week, the state GOP said the number of primaries for state legislative seats shows a high interest from Montanans who want to serve the state and pass Republican policy, and the MTGOP “is glad to see so many Republicans being called to public service.”

In a brief call, MTGOP spokesperson Ethan Holmes said the party had not ruled out endorsements in legislative primaries.

In the news release, however, the MTGOP offered its view of the larger political debate.

“Montana voters know that beyond the primaries, there is a clear choice between Republican and Democratic governance; one path leads to lower taxes, less crime and stronger families, and the other leads to higher taxes, more crime, and social decay,” MTGOP Chairperson Art Wittich said in a statement.

The news release also said the state GOP is working “tirelessly to deliver a Bright Red Future” at both the state and federal level and looks forward to help candidates whom voters select win in November.

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Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for March 4, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing

07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing

33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from March 4 drawing

01-07-08-27, Bonus: 12

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 4 drawing

05-10-26-53-59, Powerball: 06

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from March 4 drawing

03-04-06-08-10

Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing

12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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