Miley Cyrus has opened up about her final conversation with her godmother, country music legend Dolly Parton, recalling a relationship that shaped her both personally and professionally.
Speaking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on September 17, Cyrus became emotional as she remembered Parton, who died in Nashville on August 25 at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer.
Their final conversation centred on Cyrus’ latest album, Bass Persuades. Cyrus said Parton had long been the first person she sent her new vinyl records to.
“And this time around I’m going to send her a vinyl because I always do,” Cyrus said, before pausing to compose herself.
“The time that we talked, which was the last time we would talk, it was actually me telling her about this record,” she said.
Cyrus reflected on the contrast between their public images and the authenticity she saw in Parton.
She said Parton understood that her elaborate hair, make-up and stage persona were part of the show, but that beneath it was a deeply genuine person.
That example also helped Cyrus navigate her own experience of growing up in the spotlight.
As a young star on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, Cyrus became closely associated with a fictional persona. She said having Parton in her life helped her understand that a public image and a person’s true identity could exist side by side.
“There was a time in my life – we hit on it with Hannah – where so much of my life was about persona,” Cyrus said. “And I think a way that I could look at that as, you can have a persona and still be who you are, is because I had Dolly.”
Parton became Cyrus’ godmother through her friendship with Cyrus’ father, singer Billy Ray Cyrus. Over the years, the two performed together and maintained a close relationship.
For Cyrus, Parton was more than a music icon. She was also a source of guidance as she grew up under intense public attention.
Cyrus said some of the most grounding people in her life came from older generations, a reflection of the lasting influence Parton had on her.
Parton’s death has prompted tributes from musicians and fans around the world, with her nearly six-decade career leaving a mark on country music, popular culture and philanthropy.
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