Miley Cyrus has opened up about her final conversations with her late godmother Dolly Parton, revealing the country legend's last guidance on persona, emotion and the courage to keep evolving. In a deeply personal reflection, the 33-year-old singer described how Parton, who died in August 2026, helped her reconcile the public performer with the private self, a lesson that began during her Hannah Montana years and carried through to their final exchanges about music and transformation.
What did Dolly Parton teach Miley Cyrus about persona and authenticity?
Cyrus, a three-time Grammy winner, credited Parton with helping her navigate the strange duality of fame, particularly during her time starring in the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana. In the show, Parton played Aunt Dolly, the fictional godmother of Miley Stewart, mirroring their real-life relationship.
“She's known for, I guess, the faux, the fake, the hair, the makeup, the show of it, but there's a part of her that's just what I think everyone gravitates towards: how real she is and how authentic she is,” Cyrus said. “And there was a time in my life, I mean, we hit on it with Hannah, so much of my life's about persona.”
Parton's example offered Cyrus a path forward. “I think a way that I could look at that as, you can still have a persona and still be who you are, is because I had Dolly.”
The Wrecking Ball artist added: “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.”
How did Parton encourage Cyrus to embrace her emotions on stage?
Cyrus recalled telling Parton that she “always” cries during live performances, and the 9 to 5 singer encouraged her to lean into that vulnerability rather than suppress it.
Referring to her emotional performance of End of the World on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, Cyrus remembered: “I start crying, and she watched me on Letterman and was like, 'What are you crying about?'”
“I was like, 'That song is about the world ending and me never seeing my mom again.' She was like, 'Music is escapism. Let them cry. Get through it.' I was like, 'I know, but this is who I am,' and she loved me for it.”
The lesson extended to their joint hosting of NBC's Miley's New Year's Eve Party in 2023, when Cyrus broke down while singing I Will Always Love You with Parton.
“But I think she knew at that time that the reason I was crying is the reason that I cry now, 'cause I know that so many, not just Dolly, which is unique. That's family,” Cyrus said. “But so many of my really stabilising peers that I have in my life, they're generations before me, and they've laid down brick-by-brick the road that I travel now, and 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.”
What was the final conversation between Cyrus and Parton about?
The day after Parton's nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, announced her death on August 25, Cyrus shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram alongside a throwback photo of her godmother.
“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 and between our hearts,” Cyrus wrote. “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.”
She added: “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.”
Cyrus noted that she admired Parton because she was “just always right about stuff,” a sentiment that underscores the enduring influence of a woman whose legacy extends far beyond her music.
Why does Dolly Parton's legacy matter beyond country music?
Parton's impact has always transcended genre. From her Imagination Library literacy program, which has gifted over 200 million books to children worldwide, to her steadfast advocacy for kindness and self-expression, she modelled a form of public life that prioritised genuine connection over polished performance. For Cyrus, that authenticity was the thread that tied their relationship together, from the Disney set to the final private conversations about change and growth.
As Cyrus continues her own metamorphosis, the lessons from her godmother remain clear: embrace the tears, honour the persona, and never lose the person underneath. In a world that often demands we choose between the two, Parton showed that you can have both, and that the most radical act might simply be staying true to who you are.