Miley Cyrus has opened up about the final conversation she had with her late godmother, Dolly Parton. Speaking with Zane Lowe for Apple Music on September 17, Cyrus became emotional while explaining that their last discussion centered on her new album, “Bass Persuades.”
Parton died on August 25, 2026, at age 80 following what her representative described as a brief battle with cancer. Her death was especially personal for Cyrus, who had known Parton not simply as a country-music legend but as a godmother, mentor and trusted member of her extended family.
Cyrus said she had been telling Parton about “Bass Persuades” during what unexpectedly became their final conversation. Looking back, she said that although she and Dolly were very different personalities, those differences were part of what made their relationship work so well.
One quality Cyrus particularly admired was the contrast between Parton’s glamorous public image and her personality away from the spotlight. Dolly was famous for extravagant hair, makeup and sparkling outfits, but Cyrus said there was always something remarkably authentic underneath the carefully constructed image.
That example became important to Cyrus while she was growing up in the entertainment industry. After becoming internationally famous through “Hannah Montana,” she had to learn how to separate a public persona from her private identity, and she credits Parton with helping her understand that the two could exist together.
Cyrus also revealed that she and Parton sometimes approached performing very differently. Miley frequently becomes emotional while singing and has cried onstage, while Dolly believed music could provide an escape and encouraged her goddaughter to make it through the performance while allowing the audience to experience the tears.
One example came after Parton watched Cyrus perform “End of the World” on David Letterman’s Netflix series. Cyrus remembered explaining why the song made her emotional, while Parton offered the kind of straightforward advice that had become familiar throughout their relationship.
Their emotional connection was also visible when they performed “I Will Always Love You” together during “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party” in 2023. Cyrus recalled crying during that performance and said she had already begun thinking about how many of the older artists who guided her would not always be there for her to call.
Parton was one of those people Cyrus regularly contacted when she needed direction. Looking back on all the advice she received over the years, Cyrus said Dolly had a remarkable habit of being right—even when a younger Miley might not immediately have recognized it.
After Parton’s death, Cyrus shared a deeply personal tribute explaining that many of their most meaningful memories would remain private. She did reveal that one of their final conversations had been about “music and metamorphosis,” a fitting subject considering how often Cyrus has reinvented herself throughout her career.
Cyrus also plans to continue one particularly meaningful tradition. Whenever she had a new vinyl record printed, Parton was the first person she would send a copy to. Despite Dolly’s death, Cyrus said she still intends to send her a vinyl copy of “Bass Persuades,” which is being released September 18.
For Cyrus, their final conversation now carries an entirely different meaning. What began as a discussion between an artist and the godmother who had guided her for decades became their final exchange about the thing that connected them so deeply: music. Cyrus may no longer be able to call Dolly and ask what she should do next, but the lessons Parton gave her about authenticity, performance and staying true to herself remain part of the career she continues to build
