In 2006, the fourth edition of DisneyMania was released. On it, Cyrus made a cover of Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, from the 1946 animated movie Song of the South, originally performed by James Baskett. Later, Walt Disney Records released the first Hannah Montana soundtrack, on October 24, 2006. The soundtrack included eight of the songs that Cyrus performed as Hannah Montana and other artists include her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. The album debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 selling 281, 000 copies in its first week, beating out such artists as John Legend and rock band My Chemical Romance.[28] where it remained for two weeks.[29] It was the eighth best selling album of 2006 in the U.S., with nearly two million copies sold that year.[30] The album was later re-released twice — a Holiday Edition featuring Cyrus' cover of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and a Special Edition featuring "Nobody's Perfect", the first appeared on 2007 album Disney Channel Holiday. Cyrus also opened for The Cheetah Girls, performing on 20 dates of their 39-city tour.[31] Once again, Cyrus recorded a remake version of a classic Disney song "Part of Your World" for DisneyMania fifth edition.[32] On June 26, 2007, Cyrus released a double album, Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus. The first disc served as the second Hannah Montana soundtrack, while the second disc was Cyrus' debut solo album as herself. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 326, 000 copies, selling faster in its first week than the previous soundtrack.[28] On the strength of holiday season sales, the album returned and remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 in December on the strength of holiday season sales, and sold more than 700, 000 copies during that period.[33] The album, having sold more than 3 million copies in the U.S was certified three times Platinum by RIAA.[34] The album had five of its songs debut on the Billboard Hot 100, "See You Again" peaked at #10, which also become Cyrus' first song to enter the top ten on the Hot 100.[35] Cyrus playing a keyboard in a concert. Cyrus performed both as herself and in character as Hannah Montana on a North American Best of Both Worlds Tour with 69 total dates, 14 more than previously planned. The Jonas Brothers were the opening act for most of the tour.[36] Tour tickets for each date sold out in record time after they went on sale, disappointing a large number of fans.[37] The tour was recorded and released to cinemas in Disney Digital 3-D. The concert film brought in $8, 651, 758 on its opening day, and continued on to gross $31, 117, 834 to finish off the weekend, making it the highest-grossing opening weekend for a film to be released under 1000 screens, and on July 26, 2008 it was released on Disney Channel.[38] After that, Walt Disney Records/Hollywood Records released a live album recorded by Cyrus during this tour. It features seven songs as her character, Hannah Montana, and another seven as herself. The album peaked at number three in the United States.[39] 2008–present Cyrus released her second studio album under her own name entitled, Breakout. Cyrus said Breakout was inspired by "what's been going on in my life in the past year."[40] Cyrus co-wrote all but two songs on the album.[40] "Songwriting is what I really want to do with my life forever, [...] I just hope this record showcases that, more than anything, I'm a writer."[41] The album debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with a first week sales of about 371, 000 copies. As of July 31, 2008 this was the second-biggest sales week of the year for a female artist; Mariah Carey's E=MC² previously sold 463, 000 copies in its first week.[4] "7 Things" was the first single to be released from Breakout.[42] The single debuted at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100.[43] Two weeks later of released, it rose sixty spots from number 70 to number nine.[44] She hosted the 2008 CMT Music Awards with her father in April.[45] In 200

In February 2009, Cyrus was accused of racism towards those of the Asian race, when a photo circulated around the internet, featuring her and several others - including then-boyfriend Justin Gaston - pulling their eyes into a slanted position. Cyrus has denied the allegations, saying: "In NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity! I was simply making a goofy face. When did that become newsworthy? [...] It seems someone is trying to make something out of nothing to me. If that would of [sic] been anyone else, it would of [sic] been overlooked! I definitely feel like the press is trying to make me out as the new 'BAD GIRL'! [...] I feel like now that Britney [Spears] is back on top of her game again, they need someone to pick on! Lucky me![87][88][89] Cyrus was sued by a Los Angeles woman named Lucie J. Kim, on behalf of the entire city's Asian American and Pacific Islander population, for four billion dollars.[90]

Cyrus performed "Party in the U.S.A." at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards on August 10, and incited controversy due to the performance themes.[91][92][93] Critics of the performance complained that she danced provocatively, performed along on a dance pole that was on top of an ice-cream pushcart and that one theme seemed to be her poking fun at American culture.[92][93][94][95] Some drew negative similarities to Britney Spears; meanwhile Cyrus welcomed them.[94][96] Others defended Cyrus, saying that people should not be focused on still images that make the performance more sexual than it really was, instead of her earning six awards.[97][98] The Walt Disney Company tried to maintain distance from the performance, however a spokesman did mention that those values are not encouraged by Disney Channel.[40][99][100][101]

On April 25, 2008, the televised entertainment program Entertainment Tonight reported that Cyrus had posed topless for a photoshoot with Vanity Fair.[80] The photo, and subsequently released behind-the-scenes photos, show Cyrus with her bare back exposed but her front covered with a bedsheet. The photoshoot was taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz.[81] The full photograph was published with an accompanying story on The New York Times' website on April 27, 2008. On April 29, 2008, The New York Times clarified that though the pictures left an impression that she was bare-breasted, Cyrus was wrapped in a bedsheet and was actually not topless.[82] Some parents expressed outrage at the nature of the photograph, which a Disney spokesperson described as "a situation [that] was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines

Miley with dancers Ashlee Nino and Mandy Jiroux

In February 2008, Cyrus and her friend Mandy Jiroux (who is also a backup dancer for Cyrus) began creating videos on YouTube called The Miley and Mandy Show. The show, described as a "YouTube hit, " is said to be filmed for fun by Cyrus and Jiroux and to be entirely their work, with Cyrus and Jiroux editing the footage together. It is mostly filmed in Cyrus' bedroom.[77] In June 2009, it was confirmed that Cyrus broke up with Nashville Star contestant Justin Gaston.[78] In the September 2008 issue of Seventeen, Cyrus stated she was in a relationship with Nick Jonas for two years, and that the two "were in love." They broke up at the end of 2007.[79]