Introduction
Miley Cyrus has always had a deep connection to country music royalty, and that bond goes far beyond her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Her honorary godmother, Dolly Parton—whom she fondly calls “Aunt Dolly”—recently played a meaningful role in inspiring a song on Miley’s upcoming album, Something Beautiful.
In a heartfelt message shared on Instagram, Miley captioned a video with the words, “I will always love you Aunt Dolly.” While the caption might seem like a simple tribute, it revealed a touching story behind the creative journey of her latest single, “More to Lose.”
Dolly Parton Inspires Miley’s Latest Work
Born in 1992 in Franklin, Tennessee, Miley Cyrus has long been close to Dolly Parton, who has acted as a guiding light in both her personal life and musical career. During a Christmas visit with Dolly in late 2024, Miley had the chance to share early demos from her ninth studio album.
“I played her Something Beautiful, and I was so excited because she had just released her rock album,” Miley recalled. That album, Rockstar (2023), included a memorable duet between Dolly and Miley on the song “Wrecking Ball,” originally released by Miley in 2013.
When Dolly first listened to the new material, she asked, “Alright, I see what you’re doin’ here. You got any hits?” Miley admitted, “At that point, I didn’t think I had one, so I bluffed and said, ‘Yeah, it’s called More to Lose,’ even though I hadn’t written it yet.”
The idea stuck with her. Back in Los Angeles on January 2, Miley entered the studio with the visit fresh in her heart and wrote what would become the song she now calls her own version of I Will Always Love You—the timeless classic made famous by Dolly herself.
“This is my song for Aunt Dolly,” Miley said, describing “More to Lose” as a deeply personal tribute.
Watch the official music video for “More to Lose” below:
More Than Just an Album — A Visual Experience
Something Beautiful is set to be released on May 30, 2025, but this album offers more than just audio. Miley has also co-directed a 55-minute visual film that accompanies the record.
Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 6, the film—also titled Something Beautiful—will hit theaters across the United States for one special day only on June 12.
The project was filmed by renowned cinematographer Benoît Debie, known for his work on Spring Breakers (2012) and Climax (2018). Miley described the film as her modern response to The Wall by Pink Floyd, blending rich visuals with healing musical themes.
Miley Reflects on the Emotional Heart of the Project
In a conversation with Harper’s BAZAAR, Miley opened up about the intention behind the film and album: “The visual component of this is driving the sound. It was important for me that every song has these healing sound properties.”
She continued, “Even when the songs deal with loss, heartbreak, or destruction, they’re presented in a way that finds beauty in pain. The darkest times in our lives have purpose—they are the shadows that create contrast in the artwork of life. You can’t paint without both highlights and depth.”
Watch a teaser for the visual album here:
View this post on Instagram