Billy Ray Cyrus Says Family Approves of His Engagement to Firerose: ‘Everybody’s Turning the Page’
Billy Ray Cyrus confirmed his engagement to Australian-born singer Firerose this week, and he says his family, including his six children, have accepted his relationship.
The engagement comes after his divorce from Tish Cyrus, his wife of 29 years, in April.
"Everyone knew that that relationship was over a long time ago," Cyrus tells People, regarding his marriage. "Everybody's turning the page."
"It's been a lot, but everyone knew that it was time for a change," he adds.
Cyrus and Tish share five adult children: Miley, Brandi, Noah, Trace and Braison. He also has another son, Christopher, from a previous relationship.
The "Achy Breaky Heart" singer confirmed the engagement news to People after rumors of his new relationship status circulated due to a diamond ring on Firerose's hand in photos.
Cyrus, 61, shared that he met the 34-year-old singer on the set of Hannah Montana 12 years ago when she was auditioning for a role. The two formed a friendship over the years and have even collaborated on music, releasing their duet, "New Day," in 2021. Firerose moved to Cyrus' Tennessee home in early summer of 2022, and he proposed in August.
"It was really just this moment where Billy looked at me and said 'Do you wanna marry me?' He didn't get down on one knee or anything," Firerose says, sharing details of that proposal. "He said, 'I love you. I wanna make this official. I wanna be with you forever.'"
Cyrus' new romance came amid the pandemic and the death of his mother, Ruth Ann Casto. He says he and his wife-to-be are "soulmates" and share a "happy, pure love."
"And then when we began sharing the music, it just evolved more into, as musical soulmates, to soulmates, happy, pure love that to me, I didn't know could exist," Cyrus says. "Again, we're musicians, first and foremost, both of us. And we found this harmony, and this rhythm, this melody to life."