Miley Cyrus drops last name, father reacts

Miley Cyrus’ decision to drop her famous surname has received a reaction from her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, who said he supports his daughter’s new artistic chapter.

The singer recently changed her public identity ahead of the release of her upcoming album Bass Persuades, removing “Cyrus” from her branding and choosing to go simply by “Miley”.

Reacting to the move, Billy Ray said he had always called his daughter by her first name and viewed the change as a natural progression for her career.

“Family means more than ever now,” Billy Ray wrote in an Instagram post. “I always called my little girl Miley. Just… Miley.”

The 65-year-old singer said Miley had spoken with him before making the decision and that he supported her choice.

“I told @miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name,” he said, comparing her move to artists such as Dolly Parton, Cher, Elvis and Prince, who are widely recognised by single names.

Billy Ray described the change as “a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend” and said he was looking forward to his daughter’s new album.

Miley, 33, announced the rebrand on social media on August 31, sharing an image with the caption “MILEY” while updating her online identity.

She later revealed that Bass Persuades would be released on September 18, marking a new era in her music career.

The name change sparked reactions from fans, with some linking the decision to the singer’s previously reported strained relationship with her father. However, Billy Ray’s response showed support for the move and praised her artistic evolution.

Billy Ray also joked that he once wanted to use only “Cyrus” as his stage name before his record label kept his full name attached to his music career