Billy Ray Cyrus says Miley wanted to make her own "special moment" at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The father of the 'Wrecking Ball' hitmaker has stood by his daughter while she faces criticism for her controversial performance last month, and he said she was simply trying to create a defining moment in her career.
Talking on 'Piers Morgan Tonight' on US TV's CNN yesterday (19.09.13), he explained: "I knew that she wanted to do something really special and something everyone would be talking about.
"I knew she'd been putting a lot of practice and thought into what happened in New York."
He added the former 'Hannah Montana' star's polarising antics are simply the mark of "any great artist", insisting getting extreme reactions is much better than a "lukewarm" response.
He said: "Again it became that moment of a singer-songwriter-entertainer finding that special moment, and again controversy lies in that special moment.
"I don't know any great artist who was lukewarm and the fans were just in the middle of it. You either love it or you hate it."
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