Billy Ray Cyrus responds to Miley's decision to ditch surname

Billy Ray Cyrus says his daughter Miley’s decision to drop her surname for her next album is a “natural progression”.

Miley took to Instagram earlier this week to announce she’ll be dropping new record Bass Persuades on September 18, and told fans she will now be known professionally as Miley.

Achy Breaky Heart star Billy responded to Miley’s move in a post on his X page, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, as he joked he was the first to spark her decision to go mononymous.

He wrote: “Family means more than ever now. I always called my little girl Miley. Just … Miley.”

Billy also pointed out that Miley was in good company having chosen to go just by her first name.

He added: “I told @miley yesterday I felt good about her going with her first name. I mentioned Dolly and Cher. Thinkin about it more and more … Elvis .. Prince …and so on. It’s a natural progression for an iconic superstar legend. And the legend continues ! Looking forward to the new album.”

Billy went on to point out that Miley’s decision follows one he made as a fledgling singer, when he wanted to be called Cyrus, but his record label insisted he go by Billy Ray Cyrus.

In 2017, he attempted to go back to his original stage name, telling Rolling Stone: “I will be the artist formerly known as Billy Ray. I’m just going by my last name Cyrus.

“I always went by Cyrus, and I begged Mercury Records to call me Cyrus in the beginning because that’s what I was comfortable with.”

Announcing her upcoming release on Instagram this week, Miley told fans that the Bass Persuades album title had come from the idea of music as something "powerful, vulnerable, sweet and strong".

She continued: "Music takes hold of us. We feel it, sing it, sometimes dance to it, let it out and carry on. It is powerful, vulnerable, sweet and strong.

“Heart full, heartache, every part of life in between. That’s what the title means to me.

"Thank you for being a part of making my wildest dreams come true. I sincerely hope you love this album.”

The Wrecking Ball hitmaker will celebrate the album's launch with two shows at the Hollywood Bowl on October 16 and 18.