Pop superstar and actress Miley Cyrus has revealed that getting rid of her long brown locks in favour of a platinum blonde pixie cut caused a huge backlash from people who sent her a torrent of abuse.

Speaking about the surprising reaction to something as ordinary as a hair makeover, the 'We Can't Stop' hitmaker explained that she was met with so many nasty comments and was shocked at the negativity: "The names I've been called since I cut my hair..."

"Everyone said I was a lesbian but I'm like, 'Being a lesbian isn't a bad thing. So if you think I look like I'm a lesbian, I'm not offended. You can call me much worse. I've been called much worse. Being a lesbian is a compliment more than what else they call me."

Despite what she initially had to put up with, Cyrus added that she's so glad she made the bold decision to overhaul her image and she loves finally being confident and comfortable in her own skin: "No one would have planned a haircut to change my life. I didn't plan a haircut to change my life. I just cut my hair and then it really changed my life."

"There's something about having no hair that... screams being confident... When I cut my hair, I did my first Maxim cover where I got No. 1 (in the magazine's annual hot list). And it wasn't about me being the sexiest. It was about the fans voting. But it's something I loved. I don't think I've ever seen a Maxim cover with a girl with short hair."