Miley Cyrus is stepping into a new chapter of her career by choosing to be known professionally simply as Miley, leaving her famous family surname behind as she prepares to release her 10th studio album, Bass Persuades. The decision has attracted attention because the Cyrus name has been closely connected with her public identity since she first became a global star. However, her father, singer-songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus, has publicly expressed his support for the change and described it as a natural step for an artist who has already established a legacy of her own.
Billy Ray Cyrus addressed his daughter’s decision in a message shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. Rather than viewing the move as a rejection of her family background, he appeared to see it as an expression of her individuality. He recalled that he had always called his daughter simply Miley and explained that the idea felt right to him as she moved further into her own artistic identity.
“Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley. Just … Miley. Just like I always called my little boy Braison. Bet you didn’t know. I was just CYRUS before Achy Breaky Heart came out in 92. I told Miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name. I mentioned Dolly and Cher”.
His comments highlight an interesting detail about the Cyrus family’s history. Billy Ray himself became widely recognised through his music career, particularly after the success of his 1992 hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” The song helped turn his surname into a familiar name in country music and popular culture. Decades later, his daughter has developed a career that extends far beyond the musical identity associated with her family.
For Miley, using only her first name can be viewed as another stage in that transformation. She first became a household name as the star of Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, where she played a teenager living a double life as an ordinary student and a famous singer. The role quickly turned her into one of the most recognisable young entertainers of her generation.
As she grew older, Miley deliberately moved away from the image that had made her famous. Her music became more experimental, her performances became more daring, and she explored different genres and styles. Across the years, she has moved between pop, rock, country influences and other sounds, gradually creating an identity that is difficult to place in a single musical category.
That evolution is part of the reason her father’s comments about legendary performers carry weight. Billy Ray compared Miley’s decision with artists who became so recognisable that their first names alone were enough to identify them. He pointed to major music figures including Dolly, Cher, Elvis and Prince as examples of performers whose names became closely associated with their individual identities.
“Thinking about it more and more … Elvis .. Prince … and so on. It’s a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend. And the legend continues ! Looking forward to the new album. Now … if only Mercury / Polygram would have just not insisted on the’. Billy Ray part and just let me be CYRUS…… I could have done something!!! Ha ha. All good”.
The remark also contains a humorous reflection on Billy Ray’s own professional journey. His reference to being simply “CYRUS” before the release of “Achy Breaky Heart” suggests that he has thought about the importance of a memorable stage identity throughout his own career. His lighthearted tone makes it clear that he is not treating Miley’s decision as a family controversy but rather as an amusing and meaningful milestone.
Miley’s upcoming 10th studio album adds another layer of significance to the change. Reaching a 10th album is a major career milestone for any recording artist, particularly for someone who began performing professionally at a young age. By this point, Miley has spent much of her life in the public eye and has had the opportunity to reinvent herself several times.
Her announcement about the album reflected the emotional connection she has with music and with the audience that has followed her career. She described music as something that can capture different feelings and experiences, from happiness and vulnerability to heartbreak and everything that happens between those extremes.
“Music takes hold of us. We feel it, sing it, sometimes dance to it, let it out and carry on. It is powerful, vulnerable, sweet and strong,” Miley wrote in announcing the album. “Heart full, heartache, every part of life in between. That’s what the title means to me. Thank you for being a part of making my wildest dreams come true. I sincerely hope you love this album”.
The statement gives some insight into the creative mood surrounding the new record. Rather than presenting music simply as entertainment, Miley appears to view it as a way of processing and expressing different parts of life. That perspective fits with the broader direction of her career, which has often involved using music to mark changes in her personal and artistic identity.
The decision to use “Miley” alone also reflects how much recognition she has built independently. Unlike an emerging performer who might need a distinctive surname to establish a brand, Miley’s first name has already become strongly associated with her. Her years as a performer, her catalogue of music and her highly visible career have given her a level of recognition that makes a single-name identity possible.
There is also a wider tradition of major entertainers adopting or being known by single names. For some artists, it becomes an important part of their branding. A short name can feel immediate and memorable, particularly when the performer has already developed a strong connection with audiences. In Miley’s case, the move can therefore be understood less as a dramatic break from her past and more as an evolution of an identity she has been building for years.
