Whiskeyriff iconWhiskeyriffSep 3, 2026 ~3 min source read

Billy Ray Cyrus publicly supports Miley’s move to go mononymous as she readies new album

After Miley announced she will perform as MILEY ahead of her Bass Persuades release, her father Billy Ray Cyrus responded on social media with support and context from his own career.

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Billy Ray Cyrus publicly backed Miley’s decision to drop her last name and go by MILEY, calling it a natural progression for a superstar.

He compared her move to mononymous artists such as Dolly, Cher, Elvis, and Prince and said he’d discussed the decision with her.

Billy Ray referenced his own early career identity as simply ‘CYRUS’ before 1992 and framed the change as a step into another level of fame.

The useful part

The "Achy Breaky Heart" singer didn't always have the best relationship with his daughter, and his family. It was actually thanks to Billy Ray getting together with Elizabeth Hurley (yes, that Elizabeth Hurley) that inspired him to mend the broken relationships that he had in his life. Hurley encouraged Cyrus to reach out and make things right with his family and attempt to get his life back on track.

How it works

  • Considering Billy Ray Cyrus has since shared multiple posts boasting about his daughters – Miley and Noah – it's safe to assume that the mending of relationships worked.
  • MILEY (@miley) August 31, 2026 So how did Billy Ray Cyrus take that news?
  • He sees it as his daughter transcending into another level of superstardom, and he provided a couple of other names that were on a first name basis with the world that really worked out: "I told Miley...
  • Miley Cyrus actually confirmed that when she spoke with The Interview podcast last year, and said that she fully supports her father's new relationship.
  • The pop-star admitted that it was hard for her to see her dad with someone other than her mother, Tish, at first.

What to take from it

It was just a couple of days ago that Miley Cyrus announced a new album – Bass Persuades – was on the way, and also made a bold change in terms of her career as an artist. Instead of going by Miley Cyrus, she'll now go just by "MILEY." First name… no last name, like many other superstars that have come before her: MILEY. Surprisingly, the move by his daughter seemed to go over quite well with him.

Example or evidence

  • Bet you didn't know… I was just CYRUS before 'Achy Breaky Heart' came out in 1992.
  • All of my swag and t-shirts only read, 'CYRUS… SOME GAVE ALL' with a picture of a POW MIA flag on it that and the words, 'You are not forgotten.'" The more you know, right?
  • Billy Ray went on to say that he's spoken with Miley about her decision, and fully supports it.

Details worth keeping

Just like I always called my little boy Braison. Thinking about it more and more…Elvis, Prince and so on. It's a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend.

Related coverage

  • Tasteofcountry: Miley Cyrus is going by just "Miley" now, and her country music icon father Billy Ray Cyrus has a very personal reason for understanding the move. Continue reading…
  • Theboot: Miley Cyrus is going by just "Miley" now, and her country music icon father Billy Ray Cyrus has a very personal reason for understanding the move. Continue reading…
  • Eonline: Billy Ray Cyrus is letting his butterfly fly away. After Miley Cyrus dropped her surname to debut her forthcoming Bass Persuades album, out Sept. 18, her dad shared his reaction. "Family means...
  • Countrynow: "I told Miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name."

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