In a highly unusual public move, pop star Miley Cyrus has broken her long-held silence on personal family matters to address swirling rumours of a feud with her parents. The 32-year-old singer-songwriter released a detailed statement via Instagram Stories on May 11, 2025, to set the record straight after fans noticed her mother, Tish Cyrus, had unfollowed her on social media.
Background: Unfollow Sparks Speculation
Over the weekend, eagle-eyed fans observed that Tish Cyrus had mysteriously unfollowed Miley on Instagram, igniting rampant speculation of a family rift. The timing seemed particularly significant: Miley had recently flown to Nashville to celebrate her brother Braison Cyrus’s 31st birthday alongside her father, country icon Billy Ray Cyrus. Within hours, tabloid headlines and social-media threads suggested that Tish’s unfollow was a deliberate expression of displeasure at Miley’s perceived allegiance to her father.
Rumours Intensify with Surprise Family Reunion
The rumours reached fever pitch when Billy Ray shared a cheerful Instagram photo of himself, Miley and her boyfriend Maxx Morando, captioned simply, “Family time.” The shot showed the “Party in the U.S.A.” singer beaming as she embraced Morando, and her ex-husband, all smiles. Despite assurances from Page Six sources that the social-media unfollow was “just a glitch,” public fascination with the Cyrus clan’s dynamics only grew.
Cyrus’s Official Statement
Late on the evening of May 10, Miley Cyrus took the unexpected step of addressing the speculation head-on. Via her Instagram Stories—a platform she has primarily used to promote her music—she wrote:
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“I rarely comment on rumours but my mama and I are too tight for anything to ever come between us. She’s my best friend. Like a lot of moms, she doesn’t know how to work her phone and somehow unfollowed me—simple, coincidental and uninteresting.”
Miley continued, shifting focus to her relationship with her father:
“My dad and I have had our challenges over the years. Now, in my thirties, family is my priority above all else. I’m at peace knowing bridges have been built and time has done a lot of healing. Grateful for the good health and love that flows through my family.”
Social Media Reaction: Fans and Commentators Respond
Within minutes, Cyrus’s statement began circulating across Twitter, TikTok and Instagram. Fans rallied behind her, posting supportive messages and memes celebrating her “mic-drop” clarity. Popular entertainment news accounts praised her for cutting through gossip and emphasizing familial love. Hashtags such as #MileyAndTish and #FamilyFirst trended in the United States by midnight.
Meanwhile, celebrity commentators noted the rarity of such a transparent response from Cyrus, who has historically guarded her private life. MTV News observed, “Miley’s willingness to take on tabloid chatter head-on marks a shift from her earlier practice of ignoring sensationalism entirely.”
Family Dynamics and History
To understand the public fascination with this exchange, it helps to revisit the Cyrus family’s storied past. Miley and Tish Cyrus weathered numerous ups and downs in the entertainment spotlight. Tish, an executive producer and manager, has overseen Miley’s career since childhood. The two share a famously tight bond—Tish left her role managing other celebrities to focus on Miley’s early career, even relocating the family to Los Angeles when Miley was 11.
Miley’s parents, Tish and Billy Ray, married in December 1993. The pop star was born two years later, in November 1992, and her younger brother Braison arrived in 1994. For much of Miley’s adolescence, the family was a picture of unity, touring together on Billy Ray’s country-pop shows and starring in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana.
The Divorce and Strained Relationships
In 2022, after nearly three decades together, Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus announced their separation. Their divorce, finalised in early 2023, played out amid intense media scrutiny. Reports at the time suggested that Miley’s relationship with her father cooled significantly as a result of the split, with insiders telling E! News that “the marriage’s end put a strain on their bond.”
Miley’s song “Flowers,” released in 2023, was widely interpreted as an anthem of personal independence—and some fans read the lyrics as a commentary on family relationships. At the 2023 Grammy Awards, Miley notably did not mention her father when accepting Record of the Year for “Flowers,” further fueling speculation of a rift.
Sibling Perspectives and Extended Feuds
The Cyrus family’s dynamics have proved complicated beyond Miley’s relationship with her parents. In 2023, Tish’s marriage to Australian actor Dominic Purcell sparked rumours of discord with Miley’s half-sister Noah Cyrus, who was reportedly dating Purcell at the time. Sources told Us Weekly that Noah felt “betrayed” by her mother’s pursuit of the relationship. However, both Noah and Tish have since downplayed any lasting feud.
Billy Ray remarried singer Firerose in June 2023, only to divorce her in late 2024. He has since begun dating actress Elizabeth Hurley—another development followed avidly by tabloid media and entertainment sites. Each new headline has revived public curiosity about how Miley navigates her roles as daughter, sister and mother herself (to her two dachshunds, Happy and Smiley).
Expert Perspectives on Celebrity Family Feuds
Celebrity psychologists note that high-profile families often face unique pressures that magnify private tensions. Dr. Linda Papadopoulos, a media psychologist in London, explains:
“Fame can distort the parent-child dynamic. Children of celebrities may feel both enormous privilege and deep pressure to perform. Publicly aired feuds can reflect underlying attempts to assert autonomy or protect personal boundaries—especially when tabloid speculation is relentless.”
In Miley’s case, Dr. Papadopoulos suggests that her decision to address the rumours reflects a strategic reclaiming of narrative control. “By clarifying the situation directly, Miley diffuses the sensationalism, reaffirms her family bonds, and protects her mental well-being,” Papadopoulos says.
Publicity vs. Privacy: The Balance of Doing Business
Miley Cyrus’s career is built on authenticity and reinvention—from her Hannah Montana persona to her provocative Bangerz era, and most recently her reflective album Endless Summer Vacation. She has cultivated a brand that embraces creative freedom and emotional candor. Yet her personal life has long been shrouded in selective privacy.
Entertainment lawyer Marvin Ishikawa, who has represented high-profile artists, notes: “Celebrities walk a tightrope between public openness and private sanctity. A statement like this one allows Miley to address harmful inaccuracies without inviting further scrutiny into family matters.” Ishikawa adds that social media platforms have accelerated both the spread of rumours and the need for swift damage-control responses.
Implications for Family Dynamics Ahead
In her statement, Miley emphasized that family is “my priority above all else” and acknowledged “the bridges that have been built.” This language suggests ongoing efforts at reconciliation—and a desire to move beyond past conflicts.
Tish Cyrus, for her part, has not yet publicly responded to her daughter’s clarification. But industry insiders expect the unfollow-refollow cycle to be repaired quickly, given the mother-daughter duo’s history of mutual support. Billy Ray Cyrus has also remained silent on the episode, likely content to let Miley’s words speak for themselves.
Looking Ahead: Miley’s Upcoming Projects
As the Cyrus family settles this latest social-media storm, Miley Cyrus continues her musical and acting pursuits. She is scheduled to embark on the Endless Summer camp-themed world tour later this year, with dates across North America and Europe. Additionally, she will star in an upcoming biopic, Liberty Belle, tackling themes of family, identity and resilience—suggesting that her real-life experiences may well inform her creative work.
Fans and critics alike will be watching how Miley incorporates these personal revelations into her artistry. Her willingness to publicly address family rumours—rare as it is—may prefigure a new era of openness in her songwriting and performances.
Conclusion
Miley Cyrus’s decision to publicly dispel rumours of a feud with her mother and reaffirm her familial bonds represents a calculated, compassionate stride toward narrative control in an age of relentless celebrity gossip. By characterizing Tish’s Instagram unfollow as a simple accident and expressing gratitude for the “love that flows through” her family, Miley not only quelled speculation but also reaffirmed her priority: the well-being and unity of the Cyrus clan. As her career continues to flourish, her rare statement underscores the enduring importance of authenticity—both on stage and off.
