In that sense, Miley’s identity has always been connected to reinvention.
Destiny Hope Cyrus became Miley Cyrus.
Now, nearly two decades later, Miley Cyrus may be becoming simply Miley.
The change would not erase what came before.
It would simplify it.
Miley Cyrus' Godmother Interviews Her Dad - www.NBCUniversalArchives.com
And coming so soon after the death of a woman whose own first name became one of the most recognizable names in entertainment, fans understandably see symbolism in the timing.
Dolly and Miley’s connection began long before the younger singer became a star in her own right.
Dolly’s relationship with the Cyrus family dates back to 1992, when Billy Ray was experiencing his breakthrough with “Achy Breaky Heart.”
Dolly met Billy Ray during that period and later took him on tour as an opening act.Baby & Pet Names
Their friendship eventually extended to his daughter.
When Miley was born, Dolly was already close to the family.
She later recalled deciding that Miley simply had to become her “fairy goddaughter.”
That relationship became part of Miley’s childhood and eventually part of her public life as well.
When Miley starred on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, Dolly appeared multiple times as Aunt Dolly.
The fictional relationship closely mirrored their real one.
As Miley grew older, they performed together repeatedly, blending two generations of singers whose careers had been built around unusually powerful voices and an ability to reinvent themselves.
Dolly was there through Miley’s Disney years, her controversial reinventions and her transformation into an adult artist.
Miley, in turn, repeatedly spoke about the wisdom her godmother gave her.
That history is why the singer’s first public appearance after Dolly’s death attracted so much attention.
Miley was photographed arriving at a Los Angeles recording studio on August 26, one day after Dolly’s death.
She wore an understated all-black outfit and sunglasses.
A small lavalier microphone was clipped to her shirt, immediately prompting speculation that she could have been recording or filming something inside.
Fans also scrutinized Miley’s appearance.
Some believed she looked visibly emotional beneath her sunglasses, though photographs alone cannot establish what someone was feeling privately at that moment.
Others began focusing on a marking visible on her arm.
Some wondered whether it might depict Dolly.
“Is that a tat of Dolly on her arm?” one person asked.
Another simply wrote, “Is it Dolly on her arm?”
