Miley Cyrus was shocked by the thousands of fans who turned out to see her perform a free concert in New York on Friday because she thought the gig would be a huge let down.

The teen sensation brought the Big Apple to a standstill when she performed at Bryant Park for breakfast show Good Morning America.

The turn-out was a surprise for the singer because she thought the fact she wasn't performing as her TV alter-ego Hannah Montana and her recent photo controversies would keep fans away from the early morning show.

She says, "I was extremely nervous until today, and now I'm like so excited. Everyone actually showed up."

"I was like, 'Ok, there are going to be two people, and they're going to be paparazzi.'"