The Grammy winner opened up about her relationship with her parents during an appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show, ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction’
Miley Cyrus is getting candid about the complex relationship she has with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus.
During an interview with David Letterman for his popular Netflix series, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, the Grammy-winning singer talked about both the good and the challenging aspects of her relationship with Billy Ray.
“He has always been connected with nature and reality, even during his peak fame,” said Miley, 31, talking about her dad, who gained international fame with his 1992 country hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” “I’m grateful that I could watch him ahead of me. He has given me a map of both what to do and what to avoid.”
“But I’ve also inherited some narcissism from him,” she admitted during the chat.
When asked to compare how her parents influenced her success, Miley explained they were quite different. “You can’t weigh them on the same scale,” she told the talk show host.
“Without my dad, I wouldn’t even be sitting in this chair today. He’s shaped who I am as a person and an artist. His creative mind has always made me feel safe in my own thoughts because we understand each other,” she said. “But my mom raised me.”
“Honestly, my mom is my hero,” Miley said warmly of Tish Cyrus, who also appeared on the episode.
Her comments come amid a rumored family rift that allegedly began shortly after Tish filed for divorce from Billy Ray in April 2022. Tish married Dominic Purcell in August 2023, and Billy Ray tied the knot with Firerose in October 2023.
The divorce seemingly split the Cyrus siblings, with Miley, Brandi, 37, and Trace, 35, attending Tish’s wedding, while Braison, 30, and Noah, 24, were not present.
Sources have suggested that Noah has been loyal to Billy Ray following the divorce, and there were rumors that she had been seeing Purcell casually before her mom married him.
In February, when Miley accepted her Grammy for record of the year, she noticeably left out her dad from her acceptance speech. She thanked her mom, her sister Brandi, and her boyfriend Maxx Morando, adding humorously, “But I might have forgotten underwear. Bye!”
During her chat with Letterman, Miley discussed her current relationship with her parents. Letterman queried, “Is it unlikely that both parents would equally share roles throughout your life — where sometimes one might be closer than the other as things evolve?”
“It’s really not about closeness,” Miley said. “My mom was raised by a loving family; she was adopted and deeply wanted. My mom was loved and well cared for, and so was I.”
On the other hand, Miley explained that her dad had a rougher upbringing. “He grew up poor in a small town, and his parents divorced when he was young,” she shared. “My childhood was very different; I had love, security, and a beautiful home. I have a lot of empathy for what he went through because it helped shape the man he is today.”
Letterman then asked about the rumored rifts. “There’s no estrangement between you and your dad, right? It’s just how things played out?”
“Exactly,” Miley confirmed. “My parents made many sacrifices for us. They served and supported every dream we had.”
