The Truth About Miley Cyrus And Dolly Parton's Relationship
Day one fans of singer Miley Cyrus followed the young star on her days on the Disney Channel as the star of her own series, Hannah Montana. The show played on Cyrus' real life story and captured a young Miley Stuart, daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, as she led a double life as a pre-teen turned pop star.
In the series, an even bigger country music legend also made a few appearances, and it turns out that legend just so happens to be Cyrus' godmother. The legend in question? Dolly Parton.
When asked the best part of having a country music star like Parton as godmother, Cyrus told Cosmopolitan, "Having access to her closet!" and we would assume the same. "Seriously, watching the way she treats people with love and respect. Always a reminder to me and my family of what is important. Never let success change your heart," said Cyrus.
So what's it really like having one of country's biggest divas as a guide AND godmother? Let's look into the relationship between these two singers.
Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus' 'fairy godmother'
Dolly Parton has been in the country music game nearly twice as long as Miley Cyrus has been alive, so it's only natural their relationship turned into a bit of a familial mentorship. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Cyrus revealed the country music star is like her "fairy godmother."
"She doesn't really let me call her a godmother," said Cyrus, who is actually the goddaughter of the "Jolene" singer. "She likes fairy godmother much better."
Parton herself reiterated she was Cyrus' godmother in an interview on Sirius XM's Just Jenny Show. "We just kind of gelled, 'cause we're both country kids," said Parton, who met Cyrus from working with the former Disney star's famous father Billy Ray Cyrus. "We had a lot of fun just talking about that. When Miley came along, I said, 'She's got to be my fairy goddaughter."
Speaking to Us Weekly, Parton gave an even bigger inside scoop on their relationship, sharing she's "known her since she was a baby." The singer continued, "I'm her fairy godmother and I was on the Hannah Montana show quite a bit with her and I kind of got a whole new little audience because of her."
Dolly Parton has always been proud of Miley Cyrus
In 2014, Miley Cyrus was named one of Time's most influential people, which resulted in a short piece written by her godmother, Grammy-winning singer Dolly Parton. The short description shared how Parton "watched her grow up" and believes Cyrus "knows what she's doing" when it comes to her music.
"If I didn't know how smart and talented Miley is, I might worry about her," said Parton around the time the childhood actress released "Wrecking Ball." The singer continued, "She made her point, she made her mark, and more power to her. 'Wrecking Ball' is a great song. The whole album is great. So I'm hoping that now she can relax and show people how talented she really is."
Parton was adamant she respected Cyrus' music decisions because she knew her talents. "'Cause the girl can write," wrote Parton. "The girl can sing. The girl is smart. And she doesn't have to be so drastic. But I will respect her choices. I did it my way, so why can't she do it her way?"
Dolly Parton says Miley Cyrus is 'like a little Elvis'
Miley Cyrus has definitely done it her way. Her albums over the years, from her days on Hannah Montana to 2013's "Bangerz," have shifted music styles and showcased the artist's powerful vocals. Dolly Parton even sees Cyrus as a modern-day Elvis.
"She's like a little Elvis!" Parton told The Boot. "The kids love her because she's Hannah Montana, but what people don't realize about her is she is such a fantastic singer and songwriter. She writes songs like she's 40 years old! She's really deep. I'm amazed at the talent that child has and the effect she has on people."
A protective godmother, Dolly Parton has consistently praised Cyrus to the press, despite the scandalous ways the singer morphed from Disney child prodigy to controversial pop artist. "Miley is so talented. She has a good head on her shoulders," said Parton in an interview with Extra. "I think she does some stuff just for shock value, and just because she's young she can afford that. I will never, ever bad-mouth Miley, no matter what she does. I just always hope she comes out the other end alright."
They wrote a song together
When music runs in the family, it's only natural you write a song together. For Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus, that meant coming together to write a country single in 2017.
"Rainbowland" from Cyrus' sixth studio album Younger Now featured her famous godmother, who also co-wrote the song. The artist told the Recording Academy, "I wrote the song 'Rainbowland' with my fairy godmother Dolly Parton because we wanted to write a song that could really make a difference — that could speak to the current situation of not only our country but the world."
She continued on to point out lyrics from the song that empower change: "It's about embracing everyone that is different. It also says, 'I don't think I'll sleep a wink/It's the only thought I think. It's about being dedicated to making change."
Cyrus admitted to NME the one line that is "such a Dolly lyric" reads "We are rainbows, me and you / Every color, every hue."
The collaboration went so well that Parton asked her singer-songwriter goddaughter to join her on her Christmas album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, according to People. "She faxed me," Cyrus told the Graham Norton Show in October 2020. "She gets upset when you don't respond." The "Malibu" singer shared that "only for Dolly" would she agree to record "Christmas Is" in the middle of July.