In the latest issue of Rolling Stone, 20-year-old Miley Cyrus has been photographed topless. For the first time, the 'So Undercover' actress reveals the reason behind her fondness for sticking out her tongue - an antic which became famous after her twerk performance at the MTV Video Music Awards 2013.

"I just stick my tongue out because I hate smiling in pictures. It's so awkward. It looks so cheesy. Now people expect it -- like, 'Put your tongue out!' It's just easier that way. Taking pictures is so embarrassing," says Cyrus.

The former Disney star similarly talks about her recreational drug use: "Hollywood is a coke town, but weed is so much better. And Molly, too. Those are happy drugs -- social drugs. They make you want to be with friends. You're out in the open. You're not in a bathroom."

The 'Wrecking Ball' singer is currently facing a barrage of criticisms for her racy outfits down to her questionable deeds. Nonetheless, Cyrus defends herself by saying that her goal is to be iconic as proven by her latest music video: "I think people are going to hate it; they're going to see my ass and be like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe she did that,'" she says. "And then when we get to the bridge, they're gonna have a little tear and be like, 'F--k you!' I think it will be one of those iconic videos, too. I think it's something that people are not gonna forget. Hopefully an artist 30 years from now will be like, 'Yo, you remember that Miley Cyrus video? We gotta do something like that.'"

While one of the reasons why her ex-beau Liam Hemsworth fell out of love is her transition from girl-next-door to an aspiring seductress, Cyrus explains that she is merely sending out the message that being unconventinal equates to being beautiful: "There's something empowering about what I'm doing right now. Especially having 'short hair, don't care.' I think it's empowering for girls."

In the middle of all the criticism, the 'LOL: Laughing Out Loud' star believes that her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, is supporting her search for her true personality: "I think my dad wanted me to figure out all that on my own. To go through my awkward stages without people zooming in on every f--king pimple. I think he wanted me to be able to be a kid and have braces and go through my ugly phase without people talking about it. To be able to just hang and live."