Miley Cyrus is entering a new era—and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, says he supports it.
The pop star has dropped “Cyrus” from her public branding ahead of the release of her upcoming album, Bass Persuades, choosing to present herself simply as Miley.
The move has generated plenty of discussion among fans, particularly because of reports of a previously strained relationship between the singer and her father. But Billy Ray has publicly welcomed his daughter’s decision, describing it as a natural step in her artistic journey.
Billy Ray: ‘Just… Miley’
In an Instagram post, Billy Ray said he had always referred to his daughter by her first name and saw no problem with her decision to build her next chapter around it.
“Family means more than ever now,” he wrote, adding that he had always called his daughter “Miley.”
Billy Ray, 65, also revealed that Miley spoke to him about the decision before making the change. He said he supported her choice and felt comfortable with her using only her first name professionally.
To put the move in perspective, he pointed to major performers such as Dolly Parton, Cher, Elvis and Prince, whose identities have become strongly associated with single names.
He described Miley’s rebrand as a fitting evolution for an established superstar and said he was excited about the new music.
A new identity for a new album
Miley, 33, unveiled the new branding on social media on August 31, posting an image featuring the single-word name “MILEY.”
She subsequently announced that Bass Persuades would arrive on September 18, positioning the name change as part of a broader new phase in her music career.
The rebrand quickly prompted speculation online. Some fans connected the decision to the singer’s history with her father and reports of tension between them.
Billy Ray’s response, however, struck a notably supportive tone.
Billy Ray’s own name-change joke
The country singer also added a humorous personal note to the conversation.
He recalled that he had once considered performing professionally using only “Cyrus”, but said his record label ultimately kept his full name attached to his career.
For Miley, the choice is now going in the opposite direction: less name, more identity.
And with a new album on the way, the stripped-back branding appears to be part of a much bigger artistic reset.