Miley Cyrus Revealed Why August 25 Was Such an Important Day for Her Before Dolly Parton’s Death

Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus’s godmother and influential mentor, reportedly passed away from cancer on August 25, marking a date significant throughout Miley’s career and personal life.Miley previously opened up about the personal significance behind August 25.Dolly deeply admired “Wrecking Ball” and covered it for her 2023 Rockstar album, with the pair sharing a final performance on Miley’s New Year’s Eve special.The world feels significantly less sparkly after Dolly Parton reportedly lost a private battle to cancer on Tuesday, August 25. Miley Cyrus just paid tribute to the late pop culture icon who happened to be her godmother.“The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts,” she wrote. “What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis.”“I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We’re in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things,” Miley closed out her message.But before Miley shared her sweet sentiment, she explained why that exact date of Dolly’s passing has historically meant so much to her. It’s truly a chill-inducing coincidence.In a 2023 interview for her Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions) special that aired on ABC and Disney+ back in 2023, Miley opened up about the significance of August 25 and why she dropped her single “Used to Be Young” on that date.“I decided to release ‘Used To Be Young’ on August 25 because this particular date historically has been important to me personally and in my career,” she said at the time.A few of Miley’s career-defining moments have historically happened on August 25, which also happens to be her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus’s birthday.Allow me to walk you through a quick Miley Cyrus history lesson: In 2013, she released her chart-topping single, “Wrecking Ball,” hours before taking the stage for her infamous VMAs performance of “We Can’t Stop” and “Blurred Lines” with Robin Thicke. Lest we forget, the controversy marked a significant moment in her post-Disney Channel career and became a turning point in her pop culture legacy.Neilson Barnard//Getty Images“Wrecking Ball” took home the VMA for Video of the Year nearly an exact year later, on August 24, 2014, when a young unhoused man accepted the Moon Person trophy on Miley’s behalf.What’s more: Dolly, who covered the song for her 2023 album Rockstar, was constantly vocal about her love for the ballad that transcended Miley’s stardom.“To involve Miley in my rock ’n’ roll album, I thought, well, I have to do ‘Wrecking Ball,’ because I love Miley and I love the song,” Dolly said during an interview with Billboard. “I’m very proud of it. My version, and hers, and ours.”The pair last performed together during Miley’s 2023 New Year’s Eve special, where they sang a medley of “Wrecking Ball” and “I Will Always Love You.”Don’t mind me, I still have chills about this entire thing.