Miley Cyrus remembers ‘real’ and ‘authentic’ godmother Dolly Parton

Miley Cyrus has remembered her “real” and “authentic” godmother Dolly Parton after the country music superstar died aged 80, following a brief battle with cancer.The Grammy-winning singer, 33, frequently cited the queen of country as a deeply meaningful figure in her life.Appearing on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music show, Cyrus reflected on the loss of Parton and said: “Even though we were so different, that’s what made us so perfect for each other.“She knew this and I know this.”Cyrus rose to fame on Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, about a high school student with a popstar alter-ego, and Parton played her Aunt Dolly on the hit TV show.They also performed a number of duets together including a cover of Wrecking Ball for Parton’s 2023 rock album Rockstar.Actress and singer Cyrus drew comparisons between herself and Parton, and said: “She is known for 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 what everyone gravitates towards, and it’s how real she is and how authentic she is.”She also explained that “so much of my life was about persona”, and touched on the five years she spent filming Hannah Montana as a teenager.“I think a way I could look at that as you can have a persona and still be who you are is because I had Dolly,” Cyrus said.“Sometimes I call what I do drag because the way that I present myself is so different from the person that… Feeds my tortoise every morning.Read More“But again, that person is inside of me. I just kind of have her (switched) off.”Cyrus also spoke to Lowe about how the country singer would encourage her to use her music as “escapism”.She also joked that Parton would tell her to “get through it” as she often cries or appears emotional during performances, adding: “But she loved me for it.”Cyrus went on to share anecdotes of advice from Parton, and praised the late singer as “always right about stuff” as she reflected on their fond memories together.The US singer is known for hits including Wrecking Ball, We Can’t Stop and Can’t Be Tamed, and has had a successful music career since Hannah Montana ended – winning three Grammy Awards and one Brit Award.Cyrus has also landed three number one singles and two number one albums in the UK, according to the Official Charts Company.