Miley talks tour, growing up and Twitter

It's good to be be Miley Cyrus these days. Her latest EP, "The Time of Our Lives," is near the top of the charts and her song "The Climb" has been No. 1 on Billboard's adult contemporary chart for weeks.

It's just another example of the maturing career of the 16-year-old Miley. While she's still known to millions as the star of the Disney phenomenon "Hannah Montana," she's not just a teen queen anymore. VH1 crowned her as one of their "Divas," she's in an upcoming movie playing a defiant teen and she's calling the shots on her "Wonder World" tour.

AP: Describe the new album "The Time of Our Lives."

Miley: It is a transitioning album. ... Everything is like a stepping stone. And that was really to introduce people to what I want my next record to sound like and with time I will be able to do that a little more and timing is just everything. So it is really about us working our way up to being able to do the music you really love.

AP: What would you say is the most diva like thing about you?

Miley: This tour is the most diva thing. Because when I got here, it was like, "OK, we are not messing around, this thing is going to be like full out. We are going to get everything, it's going to continue to blow people's minds." And everyone was like, "All right, Miley is stepping it up." And I was like, "Yeah, it is my tour." The first time I was actually going out, no "Hannah Montana," none of that. Just my own style.

AP: You are going to be in the film "The Last Song," out next spring. Is it a departure from your "Hannah" character?

Miley: I really do get to do a little bit of everything. It is not like getting away from it at all, it is just showing more of a side that I want to show. I love doing "Hannah Montana," but I want to continue doing things that are a little bit more darker roles. That is kind of who I am and where I find most of my inspiration in movies like that.

AP: You have mentioned that you have made a few mistakes. What would you say was your biggest and what was the most exaggerated one?

Miley: I think everything I do is exaggerated a lot. I think that no matter what, I think it is all about respect. People forget that when you are in the public eye, people forget you still have to respect people and you still have to (respect) their privacy. And also respect my family and trust the fact that my parents are raising me just like everyone else is raising their kids. They are doing it the way they want to. It is not for the media or for any one else to judge how they should or should not raise me.

-- AP