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Billy Ray Cyrus is speaking out about the introduction of Miley, formerly Miley Cyrus.

When Did Miley Change Her Name?

If you didn’t know, the “Wrecking Ball” pop superstar dropped the surname from her artist name for her upcoming Bass Persuades era, and now her father is addressing her single name status in a new statement.

What Did Billy Ray Cyrus Say About Miley Dropping “Cyrus” From Her Name?

“Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley. Just … Miley,” he began.

“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. 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,'” he continued.

“I told @miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name. 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. 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” he concluded. Check out the post right here.

What Did Billy Ray Cyrus Say About His Family Recently?

In a cover story with People, the country singer reflected on reconnecting with his children and said the family is focused on moving forward after a difficult period.

Despite years of headlines about possible rifts within the family, Billy Ray said he is proud of his children and looking ahead rather than dwelling on the past.

“Life is a series of adjustments, and I think my family always knew that. We’ve all been through a lot, and we’ve seen a lot. Whatever happened is in the rearview mirror,” he said. “The past is over and done. The future is what we have, and we got to look forward.”

His comments come after years of fan speculation about his relationships with several members of the Cyrus family following his divorce from Tish Cyrus.

Billy Ray Cyrus and His Kids Worked on Projects Together Recently

Earlier this year, Billy Ray and daughter Miley reunited to tape Disney+’s Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special, marking a nostalgic return to the franchise that made Miley a household name.

Billy Ray also worked closely with son Braison on his album The Hill, with Braison serving as a producer and co-writer on the project. Meanwhile, daughter Noah appears on the record for a duet titled “On Our Way Along.”

“All these years later it’s going back to our roots as a family,” Billy Ray told People. “And to be in this moment with them, it’s just a great celebration of our family.”

Miley also announced live dates for the first time in years with her album announcement.

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