Miley Cyrus has removed her father's surname from her social media accounts, prompting fans to speculate that the American artist is preparing to launch a new musical era.
The singer changed her display name and username on Instagram to simply Miley on Monday. The new moniker was also used as the sole caption for the most recent photograph she published on the platform.
The removal of the Cyrus name is notable given her deep family ties to the entertainment industry. Her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, is a well-known country music singer who starred alongside her in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana during her teenage years.
The social media activity quickly caught the attention of her followers, with Brazilian fans flooding her profile to request a new album. Supporters commented that the username change was chic and speculated that the forthcoming project would be an emotional one.
Upcoming tenth album
If the fan theories prove correct, the singer is expected to release her tenth studio album in the near future.
Her most recent record, Something Beautiful, was released on digital platforms in May 2025. The project was heavily inspired by the English rock band Pink Floyd. The album's most successful track, End Of The World, has accumulated more than 155 million streams on the audio platform Spotify.
Miley has a long history of drastically changing her aesthetic, public persona and musical sound between album cycles. She has successfully navigated transitions from teen pop to hip-hop, psychedelic rock and synth-pop throughout her career, establishing a pattern where sudden social media changes serve as a common precursor to the announcement of new projects.
Mourning Dolly Parton
The anticipation for new music comes shortly after the singer publicly mourned the death of her godmother, the country music icon Dolly Parton.
In a recent emotional post on her Instagram profile, Miley discussed the loss and firmly stated that their private experiences together would be kept out of the public eye.
The singer stated that the feeling of losing her aunt was indescribable, adding that their most sacred moments were private and would remain behind the scenes, beneath the glamour and in their hearts.
However, it was a specific mention of songwriting in the tribute that initially brought the singer back into the spotlight regarding her music career.
Miley explained that she knew Parton would want her to fully experience the grief, write a song about the situation, and subsequently move forward with strength.
Parton took on the role of Miley's godmother years before the younger singer became famous for her role as Hannah Montana. The special request for Parton to be her godmother was made by Billy Ray Cyrus, who was a close friend of the country legend. In addition to being her godmother, the veteran country star was also Miley's seventh cousin.
Parton, celebrated for her songwriting prowess and massive crossover hits like Jolene and 9 to 5, was a frequent collaborator with Miley. The veteran artist occasionally made guest appearances on Hannah Montana to play the character's aunt, and the two regularly performed duets together at various award shows, music festivals and televised holiday specials over the years.
