Miley Cyrus is opening up about the last conversation she had with her godmother, country music icon Dolly Parton, who died August 25 at age 80 following a brief cancer battle. Speaking on Apple Music's Zane Lowe show in an episode released Thursday, Cyrus grew emotional describing what made her decades-long bond with Parton so close.
Cyrus said their final talk centered on her new album, "Bass Persuades," which released Friday as her tenth studio project. Sharing new music with Parton first had become a tradition between them, she explained, though she never got the chance to send her the actual record.
Parton became Cyrus's godmother in 1992 through her friendship with Cyrus's father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Cyrus said Parton guided her through the pressures of fame, including the "persona" of playing Hannah Montana, and pushed her to keep performing even during slumps, advising her to simply get dressed up and get back on stage.
Parton's death drew tributes across the music world, but her family's own statement leaned fully into the faith she was known for throughout her career. "Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus," her nephew Bryan Seaver said in a video released by the family, adding that she'd be reunited with her late husband, Carl Dean, and her parents.
Parton spoke often about her Pentecostal upbringing and daily scripture reading, and recorded numerous gospel albums throughout her career, including collaborations with Christian artists like Zach Williams and For King & Country. For Cyrus, the loss of her godmother marks the end of what she called one of the "stabilizing" relationships from a generation before her own.
Related Article: Dolly Parton's Death Date Holds Special Meaning for Goddaughter Miley Cyrus
