Miley Cyrus opened up about the final conversation she shared with her godmother, Dolly Parton, during a recent appearance on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music show. The legendary singer-songwriter passed away in August at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. During the emotional interview, which aired Thursday, a visibly moved Cyrus spoke about the profound, grounding impact Parton had on her life as she navigated the pressures of early stardom.
Reflecting on their last discussion, Cyrus shared that the conversation centered on her latest project. She explained that even though they had distinct styles, they shared an authentic connection. Cyrus noted, “The time that we talked, which was the last time we would talk, it was actually me telling her about this record because, even though we are so different, that’s what made us so perfect for each other.” Cyrus highlighted that despite Parton’s iconic penchant for glamour and high-profile persona, the core of her appeal was her unwavering authenticity.
Cyrus also discussed her new 10th studio album, “Bass Persuades,” which launched on Friday. Keeping with a long-standing tradition of sending her newest work to Parton first, Cyrus stated, “And this time around I’m going to send her a vinyl because I always do.” She struggled to hold back tears while discussing her grief, remarking that she was “just trying to keep myself together” throughout the conversation.
The bond between the two began through Parton’s friendship with Cyrus’ father, Billy Ray Cyrus, which led to her appointment as godmother. Cyrus recalled how Parton served as a guiding light during her own intense period of public scrutiny while starring in the Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana.” She credited Parton with teaching her that maintaining a public persona does not mean losing one’s true identity, saying, “You can have a persona and still be who you are, is because I had Dolly.”
Looking back on the guidance she received, Cyrus described the older generation of artists as “really stabilizing peers” who paved the path she follows today. She admitted that she often turned to Parton for life advice, acknowledging that, “they aren’t always going to be here for me to call them and say, ‘What do I do now?’ Which I always did with Dolly.” Cyrus concluded by noting that Parton was consistently insightful, often offering simple yet effective encouragement, such as advising her to “get your hair teased and get a dress that you love” whenever she felt stuck or unmotivated. The report also notes that speaking to DJ and producer Zane Lowe on his Apple Music show in an episode released Thursday, Cyrus became emotional discussing her close relationship with Parton, who died in August aged 80 following a brief cancer bat.
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