Billy Ray Cyrus Says Miley Dropping Last Name Is ‘Natural Progression’

On Tuesday, Miley Cyrus released an elusive trailer for her forthcoming 10th album, Bass Persuades. The promo simply featured her title as, “Miley,” and appeared to usher in a new era for the star, sans surname.

The name change was reflected across Cyrus’ socials as well. In one Instagram post alongside a portrait of herself with a white rose in her mouth, she wrote: “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. Heart full, heartache, every part of life in between. That’s what the title means to me.” The message was signed “Miley.”

While some fans speculated about what the rebrand signaled and whether there was a deeper reason behind the mononymous move, Cyrus’ father, Billy Ray Cyrus, says it’s simply the evolution of an icon.

“Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley. Just … Miley.  Just like I always called my little boy Braison,” Billy Ray wrote in an Instagram post, before sharing a quick flashback to his own career. “Bet you didn’t know … I was just CYRUS before Achy Breaky Heart came out in 92. All of my swag and T shirts only read. CYRUS SOME GAVE ALL with a picture of a POW MIA flag on it that and the words  ..  ‘You are not forgotten.’”

Billy Ray said that he spoke with his daughter the day before and that he “felt good about her going with her first name.” He added, “I mentioned Dolly and Cher. Thinkin 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.”