Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus bonded over her pet animals before hitting the studio.

Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus

Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus

The 'Uptown Funk' hitmaker and former Disney star, who released their collaboration 'Nothing Breaks Like a Heart' this month, chatted about the singer's pigs and and dogs in a "three-hour" conversation before they even started recording.

He recalled: "She was just so funny and charming and we probably spoke for about three hours about her dogs and her pigs and just random stuff before we even got into [singing]."

The studio wizard - who has worked with the likes of Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga and the late Amy Winehouse - hailed the 'Wrecking Ball' hitmaker as one of the "greatest vocalists" he's ever worked with and said as soon as she started singing, he was taken back.

He added to Sky News: "She went in, put the headphones on, turned on the mic and sung and it was one of the most wonderful things I've ever heard. "I loved that she was telling all these wild entertaining stories and then on a dime, 'shall I go sing now?', and then it's one of the greatest vocalists I've ever recorded."

Miley has hit the headlines over the years for her controversial stage outfits and wilder younger years, and thought Mark didn't take any notice, he always felt she had a "slightly hippyish vibe".

He said: "I always got the feeling that she was a good person with a slightly hippyish vibe ... she just seemed like somebody who always wants to be pushing the envelope."

Praising the former 'Hannah Montana' star - who is engaged to Liam Hemsworth - for supporting the LGBTQ+ community and animal cruelty prevention work, he added: "And she's so strong the way she stands up for LGBT rights and against animal cruelty, so I had a feeling she was probably a good person - but always, when you're meeting someone who's a superstar of that level you never know what to expect."