Miley Cyrus Reflects on Dolly Parton's Authenticity and Their Final Conversation

Miley Cyrus has spoken about the biggest misconception surrounding her godmother, Dolly Parton, emphasizing her profound authenticity.

"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 toward — how real she is and how authentic she is," Cyrus stated in a recent interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe.

Cyrus also recounted her final conversation with Parton before the country music icon's death on August 25, following a private battle with cancer. "The time that we talked, which was the last time we would talk, it was actually me telling her about this record," Cyrus said, referring to her latest album, "Bass Persuades."

Cyrus, 33, noted that the differences between her and Parton were part of what made their relationship strong. "Because even though we are so different, that's what made us so perfect for each other is that she knew this, and I know this."

The singer also discussed how Parton's advice helped her navigate fame, particularly during her time playing Hannah Montana. "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," she explained.

Cyrus recalled instances where Parton viewed music as escapism, while Cyrus often felt emotional during performances. "She was like, 'Music is escapism. Let them cry. Get through it,'" Cyrus recalled. "I know, but this is who I am." Cyrus added that Parton "loved [her] for it."

During their joint hosting of "Miley's New Year's Eve Party" in 2023, Cyrus experienced a moment of emotion while performing "I Will Always Love You" with Parton. This led her to realize that Parton, a guiding figure in her life, would not always be there to offer support.

"So many of my really stabilizing peers that I have in my life, they're generations before me," Cyrus explained. "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?'"

Cyrus described Parton as someone she "always did" rely on, calling her "always right about stuff."

Parton passed away at the age of 80. Cyrus mourned her godmother, whom she referred to as "Aunt Dolly," in a social media tribute, stating that the "feeling of losing" Parton was "beyond what feels right to share." Cyrus also shared that one of their final conversations was about "music and metamorphosis."