Weird Things About Billy Ray Cyrus And Firerose's Relationship
When Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus announced their divorce in April 2022, neither party wasted any time in moving on. In August 2023, Tish tied the knot with actor Dominic Purcell, and Billy Ray wed Australian singer-songwriter Firerose two months later, following a 2022 proposal. "Billy looked at me and said, 'Do you ... wanna marry me?' And I was just like, 'Of course I do. I love you,'" Firerose recalled to People of the special moment.
A few months between a divorce and an engagement is definitely unconventional, and the surprise timing of everything sparked rumors that Billy Ray's kids weren't happy about his quickie engagement to Firerose. However, the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer reminded fans that he and Tish had emotionally thrown in the towel long before their divorce was public news. For example, Tish's court documents revealed that she and her ex hadn't lived together for two years prior. "Everyone knew that ... relationship was over a long time ago. Everybody's turning the page. It's been a lot, but everyone knew that it was time for a change," Billy Ray explained to People.
Still, even if his kids do approve of his new relationship, there's no denying that Firerose and Billy Ray's union is a strange one. From their thirty-year age gap to their unusual meet-cute to the fact Billy Ray didn't propose with a traditional engagement ring, here are some of the weirdest things about the couple's relationship.
Firerose is the same age as Billy Ray Cyrus' daughters
Since the age gap is a biggie, let's start there. As of this writing, Billy Ray Cyrus is 62 years old, while Firerose is reportedly in her early 30s. For context, Billy Ray's biological daughter, Miley Cyrus, is currently 30, and his adopted daughter, Brandi Cyrus, is 36. The thirty-year age difference between Billy Ray and Firerose shocked fans, and even Miley found it challenging to accept. According to E! News, Miley has not established a relationship with her dad's new wife and has sided with her mother, Tish Cyrus, in the wake of the split. "The divorce between her parents [has] put a strain on [Miley's] relationship with her dad and it's been hard to connect with him in the last year. She hopes they can eventually work on their relationship," a source said.
Despite their substantial age gap, Billy Ray and Firerose have repeatedly insisted that age is just a number. "We're kind of like peanut butter and jelly," Miley's dad has said in defiance of the haters, per OK!. "I'm a left-handed singer-songwriter from Flatwoods, Ky., and she's a trained orchestral musician."
Billy Ray Cyrus didn't propose to Firerose with a ring
Maybe because Billy Ray Cyrus has done the traditional proposal and marriage thing before, he decided to go about things a little differently this time. In any case, when he proposed to Firerose, he opted to do it sans ring. Speaking to People about the proposal, Firerose said that Cyrus simply turned to her and asked if she wanted to get married. "He didn't get down on one knee or anything. He said, 'I love you. I wanna make this official. I wanna be with you forever,'" she added.
Therefore, it was up to Firerose to take the next step, and she did so by designing her own 18K engagement ring — featuring a round center-stone diamond "held by a 4-prong V Head Center diamond," according to People. The Aussie native first appeared to be wearing her engagement ring in an Instagram post from September 2022. The following month, she flaunted her bling in an Instagram selfie with her man, captioned, "Happy autumn." No word yet as to whether or not the couple designed their wedding rings.
Billy Ray Cyrus met Firerose while filming 'Hannah Montana'
For the naysayers who question whether Billy Ray Cyrus knew Firerose for long enough before popping the question — well, he's actually known her for more than a decade. Billy Ray first crossed paths with Firerose while filming "Hannah Montana," when he left the soundstage to take his dog, Tex, for a walk. "On that given day, Firerose came out of the front door. There was almost a moment of, I don't know, recognition. I was like, 'This girl's a star,'" Billy Ray recalled to People. At the time, Firerose had been auditioning for a gig (which she didn't get), and thus Billy Ray brought her in for an impromptu introduction with the "Hannah Montana" producers. "And I actually said to her ... 'I'm going to introduce you to a producer and you can kind of make yourself at home and watch us rehearse and you know, maybe it might lead to a role or just another contact at Disney,'" he shared.
While the duo may feel their meeting was kismet, it's a little odd that Billy Ray's daughter's show ended up being the catalyst for his meet-cute with Firerose. Though they weren't romantic at first, as Billy Ray was still married to Tish Cyrus, this was the beginning of their relationship. "Our friendship was so solid over the years," Firerose later told the outlet.
Billy Ray Cyrus collaborated with Firerose when he was still married to Tish
Reflecting on her relationship with Billy Ray Cyrus, Firerose told People that she and her future husband stayed in touch throughout the years, even working together while he was still married to Tish Cyrus. In 2020, their bond strengthened further during the pandemic. "She plays all of her own instruments and writes her own songs," Billy Ray explained. "We began sharing music, and it just evolved." In 2021, they collaborated on the song "New Day," which Firerose promoted heavily on Instagram.
While it's not unusual for married artists of different genders to work together, Firerose's admission that Billy Ray opened up to her about his life with Tish raised eyebrows. "Billy confided in me a lot of what was going on in his life," Firerose explained, per People. "I was just the best friend I could possibly be, supporting him." But were they just friends at the time, or something more?
Fast forward to 2022, and Billy Ray's feelings for Firerose were deepening. "All of the sudden, the life that I've always known as a touring artist didn't exist anymore. A moment of so much change. And at the same time, Firerose, who had been such a light of positivity, such a best friend. And then when we began sharing the music, it just evolved more into ... musical soulmates," he told People. Now that these two are husband and wife, we're expecting them to make lots more beautiful tracks together.