It was 2006. If you weren't there, it’s hard to explain the absolute chokehold the Disney Channel had on pop culture. Miley Cyrus was becoming the biggest teenager on the planet, and a trio of brothers with curly hair and purity rings was just starting to blow up.
Then they met.
It happened at a charity event in June. Miley once said they became boyfriend and girlfriend the literal day they met. No games. No waiting. Just two thirteen-year-olds who suddenly became each other’s entire world. For the next two years, Nick Jonas was Miley’s "24/7."
But being the faces of a multi-billion dollar corporation while trying to navigate a first love? That’s a recipe for some high-stakes drama.
The Secret Romance That Defined an Era
For a long time, we didn't actually know they were together. It’s wild to think about now in the age of Instagram hard-launches, but back then, it was all "just friends" and coy interview answers. They were touring together on the Best of Both Worlds tour, and the chemistry was obvious to anyone with eyes, yet the official word was silence.
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Honestly, the secrecy was part of the problem. Miley eventually opened up in her memoir, Miles to Go, admitting that the pressure of keeping the relationship hidden while their careers exploded made things messy. They argued. A lot.
Then came December 2007.
The breakup was brutal. Miley famously "bawled for a month straight" and dyed her hair black just to rebel against the "pretty pop star" image Nick supposedly liked. If you’ve ever wondered why the Breakout album felt so much edgier than the Hannah Montana soundtracks, that’s why. She was hurting.
7 Things and the Dog Tag Truth
You can't talk about Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas without talking about the song "7 Things."
When it dropped in 2008, the "Niley" fans went into a full-blown investigative frenzy. Miley never officially named Nick as the subject at the time, but the clues were basically screaming his name.
- She wore a medical dog tag in the video.
- Nick has Type 1 diabetes and famously wore those exact dog tags.
- Years later, Nick finally admitted he was "flattered" by the song because, yeah, it was definitely about him.
The song is a masterclass in teenage angst. She lists the things she hates—his vanity, his jerk friends, his insecurity—but the twist at the end is that she still loves him. It’s probably the most honest depiction of a first breakup ever recorded in Disney history.
The 2009 "Before the Storm" Reunion
Most people forget they actually tried to make it work again. In 2009, rumors started swirling that they were back together on the set of the "Send It On" music video.
They even recorded a duet called "Before the Storm." If you listen to the lyrics, it’s basically a public therapy session. They’re singing about standing in the rain, not wanting to let go, and how much it hurts that they aren't what they used to be. It was heavy stuff for sixteen-year-olds.
But the second time around didn't stick either. By the time the Jonas Brothers went on their world tour and Miley started filming The Last Song, the distance was too much. Enter Liam Hemsworth, and the "Niley" chapter seemingly closed for good.
Where They Stand in 2026: "Niley for Life"
Fast forward nearly two decades. It’s 2026, and the world looks a lot different. Nick is a father and married to Priyanka Chopra. Miley is a Grammy-winning rock icon living her best life.
You’d think they’d avoid talking about their middle-school romance, but lately, they’ve been surprisingly sweet about it.
In a June 2025 interview on the Every Single Album podcast, Miley gave fans the ultimate nostalgia hit. She joked about how she wanted to call Nick an "a--hole" in her book back in the day but was told to use "not a very nice boy" instead.
"I like Nick," she said plainly. "I'm into him. We're all moving on... Niley for life."
It’s a rare example of a Hollywood "first love" that didn't turn toxic in the long run. Nick has even started performing "Before the Storm" during the Jonas Brothers' recent residencies, calling it his favorite song in their entire catalog. He’s not shy about the fact that Miley was his first real heartbreak and his first big inspiration.
Why It Still Matters
We care because it was the first time we saw these massive stars as human. They weren't just products; they were kids dealing with the same "you like her, you love me" drama as the rest of us.
Key Takeaways from the Niley Saga:
- The First Kiss: Nick’s first kiss was with Miley outside a California Pizza Kitchen. He famously apologized because he’d just eaten onions.
- The Song Connection: Beyond "7 Things," Nick’s "Love Bug" was inspired by the early days of their relationship.
- The Friendship: They don't hang out every day, but they support each other’s careers from afar. There's no "bad blood," just a lot of history.
If you’re looking to revisit the era, the best thing you can do is go back and watch the "Before the Storm" live performance from 2009. You can see the exact moment they realized they were growing apart. It’s awkward, it’s emotional, and it’s a perfect capsule of what it feels like to grow up in the spotlight.
Check out Miley’s latest album Something Beautiful for more of those raw, retrospective lyrics that show just how much she’s learned since those Disney days.
Actionable Insight: If you want to dive deeper into the music born from this relationship, create a playlist that transitions from Miley's Breakout (the "I'm over you" phase) to the Jonas Brothers' Lines, Vines and Trying Times (the "I miss you" phase). It’s the ultimate 2000s time capsule.