Miley Cyrus began her collaboration with Pharrell Williams because the hip hop star was impressed by the way she handled a media scandal two years ago.

In December 2010, the former “Hannah Montana” star turned heads when video footage of her smoking psychoactive plant Salvia, giggling, and babbling incoherently, emerged online. It occurred just days after she celebrated her 18th birthday.

Dad Billy Ray Cyrus was saddened by the footage and apologized to fans for her behavior, and anti-drugs campaigners also condemned Cyrus for setting a bad example.

Miley later admitted she had made a “bad decision” and said it was a “mistake” to allow herself to bow to peer pressure. However, her actions resulted in a collobration with Williams.

Miley told Marie Claire magazine, “Pharrell said (after hearing about the bong scandal): ‘Don’t be offended because this is how I talk, but (I thought), ‘That b**ch is actually living. She’s not sitting there with her Momager’s chain on her door. I want to free that b**ch. I want her out of her cage.’

“I’d never worked like that before. I was talking to him like he was an older brother, and everything I said was going onto the track.”

Cyrus admits her new, more personal tunes may not be to everyone’s liking, but she isn’t worried about sales figures, “I don’t need the money. I don’t care if I make a dime on this. Let me make a good record. I got in there with Pharrell, and it was magic. Oh, dude, I’m so happy.”