Miley Cyrus appeared downcast in Los Angeles this week as she was photographed for the first time since the death of her godmother, country music legend Dolly Parton, who died at 80 last week.
The 33-year-old pop star, who recently shared an emotional tribute to Parton, stepped out on Tuesday with her boyfriend, 27-year-old musician Maxx Morando.
After a lunch outing with Morando, Cyrus kept her head lowered and wore a visibly somber expression, just one week after losing the woman she long described as a cherished godmother and guiding force.
Parton had been a constant presence in Cyrus’ life, offering not only personal support but also professional wisdom as the younger singer built her own career in music and entertainment.
Last week, Cyrus honored her godmother in a moving message following the death of the country icon on Tuesday, August 25.
The following Wednesday morning, the Flowers singer shared her grief with her 205 million Instagram followers, writing: ‘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.’
Miley Cyrus appeared somber as she was seen for the first time since the death of her godmother, music legend Dolly Parton, who passed away at 80 last week
Cyrus and her godmother Dolly Parton performing together on stage in 2019
Despite keeping some of their most personal moments to herself, she continued the heartfelt caption by saying Parton’s presence will always be felt.
Cyrus continued: ‘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,’ she added. ‘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.’
The country music legend previously opened up about how she became the Flowers hitmaker’s godmother.
‘I’ve known her since she was a baby,’ she told GMA in 2009. ‘Her father’s a friend of mine, and when she was born, he said, ‘You just have to be her godmother,’ and I said, ‘I accept.’
‘We never did do a big ceremony, but I’m so proud of her, love her. And she’s just like one of my own.’
The godmother had complete confidence in Cyrus’s future from the start and even did a guest role on the pop star’s Disney Channel series Hannah Montana back in 2006.
‘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,’ Parton told AOL Music back in 2008, per Biography.
The 33-year-old pop megastar was spotted out in Los Angeles with boyfriend Maxx Morando on Tuesday
Last Wednesday morning, Cyrus, took to Instagram sharing her pain with her 205 million followers
‘The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share,’ Cyrus wrote in her tribute to Parton last week
‘She writes songs like she’s 40 years old! She’s really deep.’
Parton added: ‘I think she’s gonna have a big career after that show is off the air. I know I’m partial, because she’s my goddaughter. But I’m amazed at the talent that child has and the effect she has on people.’
Cyrus has been open about the career and life advice imparted to her by her godmother, as she recently made a Disney+ concert special for the 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana based on her advice.
The daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus plugged it to the public before the project had ever been greenlit because of ‘this terrible habit – but I actually think it was good advice,’ that she learned from Parton.
‘She told me that if you want something to happen, promote it before it exists. Then no one can say no,’ Cyrus said in a cover interview with Variety back in March.
The two didn’t just share the screen on the Disney Channel series but also worked together on numerous music projects, including Parton collaborating with Cyrus on her 2023 rock album Rockstar and covering her goddaughter’s 2013 hit track Wrecking Ball on that same record.
Of working together on the project, Parton said at the time: ‘I just felt honored. I love that song, and I love Miley, and when I started to choose all these people for my record, or songs that I wanted to do, I thought, ‘I have to have Miley.’
The duo also worked together on Cyrus’s 2017 track Rainbowland, which was featured on her Younger Now album.
Parton was bonded with Cyrus for her entire life, as the country music legend previously opened up about how she became the Flowers hitmaker’s godmother
The godmother had complete confidence in Cyrus’s future from the start. Above, in 2006
In addition, Cyrus covered Parton’s 1973 classic track Jolene during a Backyard Sessions performance in 2012, which went viral at the time.
The two had also shared the stage for duets over the years, including in 2010 for the Hallmark special, Dolly Celebrates 25 Years of Dollywood, where they performed the aforementioned Jolene together.
They also performed the same track during an appearance on The Voice in 2016 as well as the 2019 Grammy Awards.
Parton died last Tuesday morning at the age of 80 after being admitted on August 21 to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center with autoimmune and kidney problems as her cause of death was confirmed as a brief battle with cancer.
Her death was later confirmed in a heartbreaking Instagram video posted by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also acted as her head of security.
Seaver hailed his aunt for having ‘lived in the light’ and said she was now ‘in the arms of Jesus’ and the company of her late husband Carl Dean.
Parton’s loved ones began racing to Nashville upon hearing news of her hospitalization, but not all were able to reach her while she was alive.
‘This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,’ Seaver said.
Parton, Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus in a 2006 episode of Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana
Parton died last Tuesday morning at the age of 80 after being admitted on Friday to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center with autoimmune and kidney problems
He hailed his aunt for having ‘lived in the light’ and said she was now ‘in the arms of Jesus’ and the company of her late husband Carl Dean, as well as her parents and ‘countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.’
Parton, who is often referred to as the Queen of Country, enjoyed an illustrious music career that spanned an incredible six decades and was arguably best known for her hits Jolene and 9 to 5.
Her passing came after months of health woes that saw her pull out of a string of public appearances, fueling fan fears for her well-being.
Seaver fondly recalled joining Parton on tour when he was a child in the 1980s, sharing that she ‘opened doors not just for me but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible.’
He characterized her as ‘a farmer, just like her daddy. He farmed the soil. She farmed songs and happiness. Dolly called me and said she wants to rest in a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable and have some rest.’
