Fierce, Bra-less and in love! Miley Cyrus talks about her music comeback and says she values her romance with husband Liam above all else.

Miley Cyrus “I’m just not a girlie girl”

Cosmo: Do you think they ever really did? When pictures from your personal life would leak, they presented a very different image than Hannah Montana.

Miley: Some of the worst things that have happened in my career, like things getting leaked, have actually been what’s best for me, because people knew when I was on that show that I was really growing up. I never faked anything. I never played the Disney game of smiling and being a princess and then suddenly having a hard time, saying, “That isn’t who I really am.”

Cosmo: You collaborate with many unexpected names on this record. Safe to say you have a new sound?

Miley: I wrote this song with Mary J. Blige, and Tyler the Creator heard it and said, “I am obsessed with this song, and I will guest on it if you promise me that you will keep it on the album.” And he killed it! I really didn’t want to make a hip-hop record, and I’m not trying at all to be a Rihanna or a Nicki [Minaj]….That’s not my vibe. When I was growing up, my older brother would sneak me Nelly CDs, my dad had me listening to Dolly [Parton] and Johnny [Cash], and my mom is a complete metal head. So this record is a weird mixture of all that.

Cosmo: Unlike a lot of musicians, you celebrate your competition.

Miley: Katy Perry’s been my friend for fucking five years, and I’m not ever gonna let our work get between that relationship. If Katy sticks with being Katy, and Ke$ha is Ke$ha, and Rihanna is Rihanna, and I’m me, there’s room for everybody. The problem is when people look at Gaga and say, “Oh, that works; I’m going to be like that.”

Cosmo: What are you listening to?

Miley: Frank Ocean’s record is so good. And I like that he came out and admitted he was gay, because that still affects people’s careers. If you don’t think it does, it fucking does, and he did not care. I think it’s going to make him even bigger.

Cosmo: Let’s talk about Liam. Do you ever have these moments when you’re still struck by how hot he is?

Miley: Yeah, all the time! I’ll literally look at him and be like “You are hot, dear god!” The other day, I turned on the pool heater and it was steaming, and he walked outside and took off his clothes and jumped in the pool. I was like, “I’m gonna faint–the hottest guy of my life is in a steaming pool. This looks like a Playgirl shoot.” So I took a photo and made it the background on my phone. My best friend grabbed my phone and was like, “Who’s that? He is so hot!” That’s my hubby!

Miley Cyrus and Fashion designer Lia Mira at an event recently in Philadelphia

Check out the full interview when magazine hits newsstands February 5th, 2013