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Miley Cyrus Reveals Why She’s ‘Grateful’ for Dad Billy Ray Amid Their Feud: ‘He’s Guided Me’
Miley Cyrus and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, have had a complicated relationship since his divorce from her mother, Tish Cyrus, but she still credits him for teaching her a few important lessons.
The “Flowers” hitmaker, 31, opened up about how both of her parents have influenced her life and career on the Wednesday, June 12, episode of David Letterman’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.
“Honestly, my mom is my hero,” she said of Tish, 57. “My father — I’m grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me. He’s almost given me this map. There is a map of what to do and what not to do. And he’s guided me on both.”
Miley added that Billy Ray and her momager’s impacts “can’t be weighed on the same scale.” She explained that the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer, 62, “had a really rough childhood.”
“And my childhood — I mean, we can go and talk about the hard times or the struggles — but I had food, I had love, I grew up in a beautiful big house and my dad didn’t have that,” she continued.
On the other hand, Miley admitted that her father’s lessons weren’t always perfect. “I also inherited the narcissism from my father,” she said. “He also has a relationship and a foot on the ground to nature and to the real. And he always did, even when he was super famous.”
Miley and Billy Ray’s feud began when Tish filed for divorce from the country singer after three decades of marriage in April 2022. “It is after 30 years, five amazing children and a lifetime of memories, we have decided to go our separate ways — not with sadness, but with love in our hearts,” a statement from the family’s rep shared with People read. “We have grown up together, raised a family we can be so proud of, and it is now time to create our own paths.”
In addition to Miley, the former couple share kids Brandi, 37, Trace, 35, Braison, 30, and Noah, 24. Miley seemingly took her mother’s side after the split, unfollowing her father on Instagram. Later, she appeared to snub her father in her acceptance speech for Record of the Year at the 2024 Grammys by thanking several loved ones but not including him.
She thanked “everyone that’s standing on this stage right now, Tom, Tyler, Michael and Greg. Our teams, my team, Crush, Columbia, my mommy, my sister, my love, my main gays because look how good I look. … I don’t think I forgot anyone.”
Following their divorce, Tish moved on with now-husband Dominic Purcell, whom she married in August 2023. Meanwhile, Billy Ray married Firerose in October 2023, although he later submitted annulment paperwork on May 23, Life & Style confirmed on Tuesday, June 11.
