Key Highlights
- Miley Cyrus revealed details of her final conversation with godmother Dolly Parton, who died on August 25, 2024, at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer.
- Cyrus told Zane Lowe that their last discussion centered on her new record and how Parton’s authenticity influenced her approach to persona and performance.
- Parton became Cyrus’s godmother after forming a close friendship with Billy Ray Cyrus during their 1992 tour together.
Miley Cyrus Reflects on Final Conversation With Dolly Parton
In an emotional interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Miley Cyrus opened up about the last time she spoke with her godmother, country music legend Dolly Parton, who passed away on August 25, 2024, at the age of 80. According to her publicist Marcel Pariseau, Parton died “after a ‘brief battle with cancer’ on 25 August ‘at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones’.” Cyrus shared that their final conversation focused on her upcoming record, highlighting the unique bond they shared despite their generational and stylistic differences.
Authenticity Beneath the Glamour
Cyrus described Parton as someone the world knows for “the faux, the fake, the hair, the makeup, the show of it,” but emphasized that “there’s a part of her that’s just what I think everyone gravitates toward — how real she is and how authentic she is.” The “Wrecking Ball” singer explained that their differences were precisely what made their connection so strong: “even though we are so different, that’s what made us so perfect for each other is that she knew this, and I know this.”
Persona, Performance, and the Person Beneath
Drawing parallels to her own career, Cyrus referenced her Hannah Montana years, noting, “so much of my life’s about persona.” She credited Parton with helping her realize “you can still have a persona and still be who you are.” Cyrus offered a striking metaphor for her own public presentation: “Sometimes I call what I do drag because the way that I present myself is just someone that is so different from the person that feeds the tortoise every morning… But again, that person’s inside of me — I just kind of have her off.”
A Godmother Bond Forged on the Road
Parton’s role in Cyrus’s life dates back to the early 1990s, when she formed a close friendship with Billy Ray Cyrus while they toured together in 1992. That bond led Parton to become godmother to Miley, a relationship that Cyrus has long acknowledged as foundational. In a heartfelt Instagram tribute posted after Parton’s death, Cyrus wrote: “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts.” She added, “What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.” Cyrus concluded: “I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We’re in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things.”
Why This Matters
The passing of Dolly Parton marks the end of an era in country and popular music, but her influence continues through artists like Miley Cyrus who carry forward her lessons about authenticity amid artifice. Cyrus’s recent decision to drop her last name professionally — adopting the mononym “Miley” — signals a new chapter in her own evolution, one shaped by Parton’s example of balancing larger-than-life persona with genuine selfhood. As Cyrus processes this loss publicly, her reflections offer insight into how mentorship and chosen family operate at the highest levels of the entertainment industry, and how the “metamorphosis” she discussed with Parton may shape her forthcoming music.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When did Dolly Parton die and what was the cause?
- Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2024, at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, surrounded by loved ones, according to her publicist Marcel Pariseau.
- How did Dolly Parton become Miley Cyrus’s godmother?
- Parton formed a close friendship with Billy Ray Cyrus while they toured together in 1992, which led to her becoming godmother to Miley.
- What did Miley Cyrus say about her last conversation with Dolly Parton?
- Cyrus told Zane Lowe their final conversation was about her new record and noted that their differences — “even though we are so different, that’s what made us so perfect for each other” — strengthened their bond. She also shared on Instagram that “one of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.”
