20 popular songs from former child stars that prove they’re all grown up

Miley Cyrus' first attempt at shedding her Disney persona was with her 2010 rock hit "Can't Be Tamed." The singer boasts about going through guys "like money flying out the hands," while the music video shows her trapped in a cage with wings ready to fly.

After Ariana Grande left Nickelodeon shows like Victorious and Sam & Cat in the past, she took her music career to the next level. She's released many No. 1 hits, but one of our favorites has to "positions" — a song about the obvious.

Alex Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place likely wouldn't be singing songs like "Hands to Myself," but Selena Gomez would — and it's a certified bop.

Another former Disney star who wanted to switch things up with their sound is Demi Lovato. She wrote her single "Body Say" in 2016 about exploring intimate places with her partner and has since released more mature content, like "Sober" and "29."

Justin Bieber has come a long way since singing love songs to Usher on YouTube. Some of the singer's first singles, like "Baby" and "One Less Lonely Girl," are classic teen-pop songs, but his 2020 track, "Yummy," which is about intimacy with his partner, was definitely geared toward a more mature audience.

JoJo appeared in films like RV and Aquamarine and sang teen songs like "Too Little Too Late" and "Get Out" in the early 2000s. However, she went a different direction with her album Mad Love and the accompanying single "FAB" featuring Remy Ma in 2016. 

Although Britney broke through with her songs "Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again," we can't forget the singer began her career on the children's show Barney. She switched things up with her single "Gimme More," which takes listeners on quite the ride between her and a special someone she met on the dance floor.

Ari sings about wanting to have a fun, no-strings-attached sort of relationship with a friend in her song "bloodline." The lyrics, "No, we won't be talking the next day ... I ain't got nothing to say. I ain't lookin' for my one true love ... Yeah, that ship sailed away," are likely something most of her adult fans can relate to.

Barney produced stars like Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake. The latter, also known for his time in the boy band NSYNC, began releasing solo music like "SexyBack" and "Rock Your Body," which features a more adult theme for his listeners.

"Beautiful Soul" is probably Jesse McCartney's most popular song, but his steamy single "Body Language" has an entirely different vibe. The singer gets real, talking about being attracted to women of all kinds. He sings, "Now, I don't speak Spanish, Japanese or French /And the way that body's talkin' definitely makes sense / It's her, her body, her body, her body language."

Nick Jonas let fans in with his single "Jealous." He sings about his feelings when he's out with his partner and somebody else checks them out. "[The song] was inspired by a feeling I think a lot of people have but are afraid to admit, especially guys. But just that thing of puffing your chest up every once [in] a while when someone looks at your girl while you're with them. Not only is it disrespectful, but you feel like you're ready to go," he said in an interview.

Like Britney, Christina Aguilera also started on Barney before becoming an international superstar. Her single "Candyman" has a clear sexual theme with lyrics like "He had tattoos up and down his arm ... There's nothin' more dangerous than a boy with charm."

We all have an on-again, off-again type of flame, and Drake captures that relationship well with his single "Hotline Bling." He sings relatable lyrics like, "You used to call me on my cellphone ... Late-night when you need my love."

Another grown-up Selena song we can't get enough of is her collaboration with Blackpink, "Ice Cream." The track has catchy sections like "Even in the sun, you know I keep it icy," which we think are truly masterful lyrics.

Even though Miley tried to go a different direction with "Can't Be Tamed," she hit the nail on the head with her album Bangerz. It featured the song "SMS" with Britney Spears, and just like the album suggests... it is a banger.  

Demi has been open about her journey with addiction and sobriety. She lifted the veil even more with the moving single "Dancing with the Devil," which told the story of her near-fatal overdose in 2018.

We can't forget that Chloe and Halle got their start as children posting singing videos on YouTube. Thankfully, Beyoncé noticed and signed them to her label. Since then, they've released several tracks, including their popular hit "Do It" — a fun song to throw on before a night out with your crew.

Aly and AJ's song "Potential Breakup Song" was first released as a Disney classic in the early 2000s. After experiencing a resurgence on TikTok in the 2020s, the pair released a new recording with more explicit lyrics, like, "Now all I want is just my stuff back / Do you get that? / Let me repeat that / I want my sh*t back."

Bridgit Mendler actually has a few hits in her catalog, including "Ready or Not." But her 2016 EP, Nemesis, is highly underrated. It features the song "Snap My Fingers," which is about going back and forth with a partner who won't give you their all.

When she's not singing Sharpay's verses in "Bop To The Top" from High School Musical, Ashley Tisdale is giving us classic pop-girl hits like "He Said She Said." The single, released in 2006, has suggestive lyrics like "Baby, I can see us kissin' like that," which showcase her more mature personality.