After Miley removed “Cyrus” from her social media handles recently, speculations arose about the reason behind the change. Some wondered if it signaled a rift with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, or if it was related to the passing of her godmother, Dolly Parton. However, Billy Ray Cyrus clarified the situation on social media today.
In an Instagram post, Billy Ray shared a throwback photo of himself with his kids, where he mentioned that he has always referred to Miley as just “Miley.” He revealed that Miley’s original name was Destiny Hope Cyrus but due to her constant smiling as a baby, he started calling her Smiley, which later evolved into Miley and stuck. Additionally, he introduced Miley to Dolly Parton during his time as her opening act on tour and asked Parton to be Miley’s godmother.
Following Dolly Parton’s recent passing, both Billy Ray and Miley have expressed their deep sorrow. Billy Ray, who turned 65 on the day of Parton’s demise, emphasized the importance of family and supported Miley’s decision to use her first name for her career. He likened it to other iconic stars like Dolly, Cher, Elvis, and Prince.
The adjustment in Miley’s name does not seem to be an official change but rather a rebranding effort. Her upcoming tenth studio album, “Bass Persuades,” is set to be released on Sept. 18, and she has announced two performances at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in October. Miley shared her excitement about performing in L.A., a place she holds dear, in a recent Instagram post.
