Miley Cyrus Drops Last Name: Dad Billy Ray Cyrus Reacts

Billy Ray Cyrus is letting his butterfly fly away. 

After Miley Cyrus dropped her surname to debut her forthcoming Bass Persuades album, out Sept. 18, her dad shared his reaction. 

“Family means more than ever now,” Billy Ray wrote in a Sept. 2 Instagram post. “I always called my little girl Miley. Just…Miley.”

Indeed, the 65-year-old—also dad to Brandi Cyrus, 39, Trace Cyrus, 37, Braison Cyrus, 32, and Noah Cyrus, 26, with ex Tish Cyrus, as well as Christopher Cody, 34, from another previous relationship—noted that his daughter by any other name would be just as sweet. 

“Just like I always called my little boy Braison,” he continued.  Bet you didn’t know…I was just CYRUS before ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ came out in ‘92. All of my swag and T shirts only read. CYRUS.”

And while Miley’s choice raised eyebrows among her fanbase considering her at times strained relationship with her dad, Billy Ray revealed that she actually asked for his opinion on the new era.