Miley Cyrus is using music to reconcile with her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus. The deluxe version of Cyrus’s album Something Beautiful was released Friday Sept. 19 along with the single “Secrets,” and its accompanying music video. These releases come after the success of Something Beautiful, Cyrus’ first visual album, which received lots of attention online. “Secrets” features two members of Fleetwood Mac — Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood — and clearly takes inspiration from their sound and the music of the ’80s. However, there’s more to this release than meets the eye.
On Instagram when the song was released, Cyrus wrote the following caption: “This song was written as a peace offering for someone I lost for a time but always loved. In my experience, forgiveness and freedom are one and the same.” She goes on to say “This song is for my dad.” But what exactly happened between Cyrus and her dad to warrant such a statement? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot.
The feud between Cyrus and Billy Ray was rumored to have begun in 2022 with Billy Ray’s divorce from Cyrus’s mom, Tish Cyrus. The split reportedly caused rifts among the family, and a close source told E! News that the divorce “put a strain on [Cyrus’] relationship with her dad.” Their relationship was also questioned following the 2024 Grammys when Cyrus didn’t thank her dad during her acceptance speech for Record Of The Year with “Flowers,” despite thanking her mom and many of her siblings.
However, Cyrus broke her silence on the reported feud in an Instagram story in May 2025 saying, “Family is my priority above all else. I’m at peace knowing bridges have been built and time has done a lot of healing.” Her release of “Secrets” seems in line with this statement.
The song itself is a beautiful testament to forgiveness and reconciliation. Cyrus sings: “Call of all your forces, a white flag in the war,” seemingly referencing the feud between her and her dad and its conclusion. Later, she sings, “Love is not a prison, I am not a guard,” potentially reflecting back on what she’s learned from the fight.
Finally, the song’s outro repeats the lyrics, “Anywhere you go, you know I’ll follow.” It’s a super sweet sentiment that also relates back to statements Cyrus has made in the past about her dad, telling David Letterman on his Netflix show, “I’m grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me. He’s almost given me this map.”
The deluxe album also features an additional new song, “Lockdown,” which features David Byrne. Clearly, in this new era of her life and music, Cyrus is still learning new lessons about love and forgiveness.