Miley Cyrus has found herself at the centre of a brutal 'never meet your heroes' backlash after fans claimed they waited for hours in London only to get a matter of seconds with the pop star. A viral video from her June 2025 signing at Rough Trade East showed Cyrus chatting with Naomi Campbell while fans approached, with some interactions appearing so rushed that the entire encounter was over almost instantly.
For fans who had gone to the event hoping for a memorable moment with one of pop music's biggest stars, the footage was particularly disappointing. Social media users questioned whether it could really be called a meet-and-greet when some fans allegedly had little more than a quick photograph, a signature and a hurried 'thank you'.
Miley and Naomi at the London Signing
The event was held at Rough Trade East in London as Cyrus promoted her album Something Beautiful and her collaboration with Naomi Campbell, 'Every Girl You've Ever Loved'. The first 100 fans who purchased the vinyl were reportedly given the chance to meet both stars, turning the release into a rare opportunity for fans to get close to Cyrus.
Campbell joined Cyrus at the signing table, creating an unexpected celebrity pairing that naturally attracted plenty of attention. But while the two appeared to enjoy each other's company, some fans felt the focus shifted away from the people who had queued up to see them.
The Seven-Second Meet-And-Greet
The most damaging detail to emerge from the footage was the claim that fans had roughly seven seconds to complete their photo interaction. Videos showed attendees being moved through the table quickly, with a photographer counting down before taking pictures and directing the next person forward.
Miley Cyrus ignoring her fans during a meet & greet (2025) pic.twitter.com/sWAUwaOP88
— CHASE (@dearrchase) August 27, 2026
Some photographs reportedly captured Cyrus or Campbell looking away rather than towards the camera, while other fans appeared to have barely enough time to settle into position. For people who had reportedly waited for hours, that blink-and-you-miss-it experience became the biggest reason for the online outrage.
Cyrus Appeared More Interested in Naomi
Much of the criticism centred on Cyrus and Campbell appearing deeply engrossed in conversation between fan interactions.
They could be seen laughing and chatting while people approached the table, leading one social media commenter to joke that Cyrus was simply 'busy spilling tea'.
That image quickly became the story's most shareable moment.
Rather than seeing a superstar giving fans her full attention, viewers saw two famous women seemingly caught up in their own conversation while the queue continued moving, creating the awkward impression that the fans were interrupting them.
Fan's Awkward Miley Encounter Goes Viral
One particularly uncomfortable moment involved a fan who reportedly greeted Cyrus enthusiastically, only to receive little response before trying again. When he eventually appeared to get her attention and began speaking, Cyrus seemingly cut the interaction short with a 'thank you' as the photographer prepared for the picture.
The moment fuelled criticism that the problem went beyond simply being tired or reserved. One commenter summed up the sentiment by saying there was a difference between being a 'diva' and simply being unkind, while another bluntly wrote, 'Not really a meet and greet then'.
'Never Meet Your Heroes' Warning Resurfaces
The reaction quickly tapped into one of the internet's oldest celebrity warnings: never meet your heroes. One commenter joked that famous people are rarely as nice as fans imagine, while another argued that record signings are simply not designed for fans to have long conversations with the talent.
Never meet yo heros lol nobody famous really be good people like that..rare
— Ran (@Ran_WitIT) August 27, 2026
There is also an important wrinkle to the criticism. The event gave fans access through the purchase of the vinyl, but the experience itself was reportedly free, and Cyrus later shared footage from the event showing longer and more positive interactions with fans.
Cyrus' Posts Complicated the Viral Backlash
Cyrus did not appear to directly address the criticism, but she did post images and clips from the London event, including moments that showed her interacting more warmly with fans. That footage offered a noticeably different picture from the short clips that had spread online.
It means the viral footage may not tell the entire story, particularly if individual clips were taken out of context. Still, for the fans captured in the most awkward moments, the damage was already done, leaving the uncomfortable question at the heart of the backlash: if meeting your hero lasts only seven seconds, is it really the memory you travelled for?
