Miley Cyrus is opening up about the profound bond she shared with her late godmother, Dolly Parton, who passed away at 80 on August 25 following a battle with cancer. In a candid conversation with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Cyrus reflected on their final talk, which centered on her upcoming record. Despite their contrasting styles, Cyrus noted that their differences were exactly what made their relationship so special. She credited the country music legend with teaching her how to balance a larger-than-life public persona with her true, authentic self, a lesson that helped Cyrus navigate her own identity after the massive success of her early career as Hannah Montana.
Cyrus shared that she often views her stage presence as a form of drag, acknowledging the stark contrast between her glamorous public image and the person who simply feeds her tortoise every morning. Recalling Parton’s reaction to her emotional performance of ‘End of the World’ on David Letterman’s show, Cyrus explained that when she broke down in tears, Parton offered her signature wisdom. The icon told her, ‘Music is escapism. Let them cry. Get through it.’ Cyrus admitted that while she struggled to keep her emotions in check, Parton’s ability to remain ‘real’ while maintaining a show-stopping image was something she deeply admired and tried to emulate in her own career.
The singer also touched on the difficulty of losing the mentors who paved the way for her. Reflecting on their co-hosting gig for NBC’s New Year’s Eve party in 2023, where they sang ‘I Will Always Love You’ together, Cyrus noted that losing these stabilizing figures is a heavy burden. She described Parton as someone who was ‘always right about stuff’ and someone she could always call for guidance. Following Parton’s passing, Cyrus took to Instagram to honor her ‘Aunt Dolly,’ stating that while their most sacred moments would remain private, she knows Parton would want her to turn her grief into music and continue to be strong. Cyrus is set to release her new album, Bass Persuades, this Friday.