Meet Miley Cyrus' Boyfriend, Maxx Morando
Throughout her career, Miley Cyrus has had several high-profile relationships. From a teen fling with Nick Jonas to her now ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, the former "Hannah Montana" star is no stranger to her love life being thrust into the public eye. But when it comes to her current boyfriend, Maxx Morando, Cyrus seems to be keeping things a little more low-key.
As under the radar as they may be, it sounds like things between Cyrus and Morando have blossomed. "She really feels like she may have found her other half," a source told Hollywood Life. "She is in love with him, and he is crazy about her. While he has been talking about marriage, she is skeptical. She has been there and done that, and she thinks that they don't need to be married to have a lifelong commitment to one another."
There is a lot more to Morando than holding the title of Miley Cyrus' boyfriend, and he has proven himself to be a talented musician and a passionate creative. But keep him away from peanuts. "I have a peanut allergy. So yeah, I flared up. And that's why I'm eating cornflakes right now," he said in an interview with We Will Punk You! (via Hollywood Life). While he's definitely not as big of a celebrity as Cyrus, the musician is still a noteworthy figure. With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about Miley Cyrus' boyfriend, Maxx Morando.
He met Miley Cyrus on a blind date
Miley Cyrus has been a superstar since childhood, a household name the world over. So, when she goes on a first date, there is a good chance that the other person already knows at least a little bit about her. While some might be intimidated by her level of fame and all of her success, Maxx Morando was evidently open to the idea of giving things a shot.
"We got put on a blind date," Cyrus told British Vogue in 2023. "Well, it was blind for me and not really for him. I thought, 'The worst that can happen is I leave.'" While she offered no further details about this date, it clearly went well because they're dating. While we don't know for certain when Cyrus and Morando got together, it seems like it happened toward the end of 2021.
In the same interview, it was revealed that Cyrus has a special song that plays when Morando calls her: "Tyrone" by Erykah Badu, or as she calls it, her "boyfriend sexy ringtone."
He is a drummer in a rock band
Maxx Morando is a drummer with the rock band Liily. If you're unfamiliar, Liily is a Los Angeles-based group made up of Dylan Nash, Sam De La Torre, and Charlie Anastasis, with their first full-length album, "TV or Not TV," released in 2021. Their first LP, "I Can Fool Anybody In This Town," dropped two years before that. The band formed in 2016, but the members go way back. "We all knew each other and ran in the same circle of friends," Morando told Soundazed. "Some of us went to school together, and some of us have known each other since we were around seven."
While Morando is not super active on social media, he has posted a handful of photos on Instagram relating to his career, including promo for "I Can Fool Anybody In This Town" and "TV or Not TV." To announce the release of "TV or Not TV," he wrote, "Our first full-length LP is out now everywhere, along with a new music video for 'TV or Not TV' where you can watch me dance." A treat for fans, no doubt.
Before Liily, Morando was with the band The Regrettes. In a 2016 interview with Modern Drummer, he shared that he's been playing drums since he was 8 years old and touched on how that band actually got its start way back when he was at the School of Rock in Hollywood. "I met some of my bandmates there," he shared.
He was backstage at Miley's New Year's Eve Party
Miley Cyrus' relationship with Maxx Morando is one of her more private couplings, as the pair makes an effort to keep their romance out of the spotlight. However, the two certainly could not avoid the public eye when they both appeared on "Miley's New Year's Eve Party" in 2022. Cyrus, of course, hosted the New Year's Eve special; Morando's band, Liily, performed during the show. "He was backstage with Miley and Pete [Davidson] at the New Year's Eve rehearsals and taping having a good time with them," a source told E! News. "They were are all super friendly with one another and seemed to have a great night."
It sounds like that NYE special set the tone for the loved-up couple's year. "They've been together for a little while and are just enjoying their relationship," a source told Entertainment Tonight in March 2022. "Miley ... is just focused on doing her thing and being around people that make her happy, and Maxx does that."
They don't often make public appearances
When Maxx Morando and Miley Cyrus step out together, their fans notice. One of their earliest joint appearances was at the Gucci Love Parade in November 2021. After the event, Cyrus posted a photo she took with Morando on Instagram, which only fueled the romance rumors.
The couple took a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in February 2022, and an unnamed tipster offered a brief account of their vacation. "Miley and Maxx had a great time together and walked around the resort holding hands and kissing," a source told E! News. "They cuddled up to one another wherever they went." The public affection is something that they appear incredibly comfortable with: In April 2022, the pair was photographed smooching out on a sidewalk in West Hollywood in broad daylight. Other public appearances include the Gucci album release party for "Endless Summer Vacation, the Versace fall/winter fashion show, and, of course, "Miley's New Year's Eve Party."
Miley Cyrus' song You is believed to be about him
Miley Cyrus has several songs that are believed to be about her relationships with former lovers — look no further than the speculation surrounding her 2023 single "Flowers," aka the hit song that fans are certain is about her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth. No surprises here, but her album "Endless Summer Vacation" has plenty more where that came from. "There's subtle shade," Cyrus admitted in the Disney+ special "Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions)" (via Bustle). "There's, you know, honesty and truth, and there's some wisdom, and there's some humor. And there's some heaviness and depth."
While she hasn't confirmed this theory, some Miley Cyrus fans believe the song "You," which is Track 5 on "Endless Summer Vacation," could be about her current boyfriend, Maxx Morando. The lyrics seem to be all about finding love again following a breakup: "I got some baggage / Let's do some damage / I am not made for no horsey and carriage / You know I'm savage / You're looking past it / I want that late-night sweet magic / That forever lasting love / But only if it's with you."
Cyrus also performed "You" for the first time at "Miley's New Year's Eve Party" in 2022. If the song is indeed about Morando, that would make the moment all the more special: As previously mentioned, his band was on the show's bill.
Miley Cyrus' boyfriend is an artist
One of the earliest peeks into Miley Cyrus and Maxx Morando's relationship arrived in a September 2021 Vogue feature. In the article, Cyrus broke down various outfits she had in her concert wardrobe. And one of those outfits happened to be created by her current beau. "This look is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between two of my favorite emerging artists, Maxx Morando and Shane Kastl," she said of the bold ensemble. "Shane used existing pieces I've collected over time and customized Maxx's cartoon characters [within] his construction. Their collaboration is the perfect example of sustainability becoming the next fashion phase, and it proves that anything can be reinvented, which resonates with me deeply." Morando also posted about her Vogue feature on Instagram and noted that he contributed to her outfit.
Morando is passionate about his art and uses his Instagram page as a place to showcase his work, which includes bright and eye-catching prints with titles like "aliens" and "snake juice." He's also designed merch for his band, Liily.
Cyrus was evidently drawn to this side of Morando, and vice versa. "They are both artistic and creative, so they bond over being musicians," a source told E! News.
He is six years younger than Miley Cyrus
Maxx Morando was born in 1998, which makes him six years Miley Cyrus' junior. This isn't the first time the "Wrecking Ball" singer has been in a relationship with someone who is a few years younger. Cody Simpson, to whom she was linked for a little under a year, is four years younger than Cyrus.
Despite the age difference, a source told Us Weekly in March 2022 Cyrus and Morando are "very compatible with each other." Later that year, a separate tipster dished to E! News that their relationship was still very much a thing. "Everyone in her family loves them together and thinks they mesh really well," they said. While Cyrus has been in relationships with musicians before, a source told Hollywood Life he is "unlike any guy Miley has ever been with." They continued, "He is edgy, he is comfortable in his identity as a person, he is an extremely talented musician, and he is beyond sweet."
Maxx Morando is supportive of Miley Cyrus
Maxx Morando sure seems to be in Miley Cyrus' corner, and the two appear to make a good team. "Miley can be herself. They are supportive of each other's careers," a source told People in 2023. "Miley is enjoying life and things are great."
While Morando doesn't make a habit of posting about his very famous girlfriend on social, there have been a few exceptions. In March 2023, for example, he posted on Instagram about Miley's song "Handstand." In the caption, he pointed out that he not only produced that track, but co-produced another of Miley's songs, "Violet Chemistry," with Max Taylor Sheppard and Mike WiLL Made-It. In the comment section, you'll find three fire emojis from Miley's mom, Tish Cyrus, and a goat emoji from Mike WiLL Made-It.
Given how personal 2023's "Endless Summer Vacation" is, Morando's involvement is especially significant. "I think 'Endless Summer Vacation' represents, to me, my fearlessness when it comes to experimenting, not just with my sound but also with my identity and the way that I want to be seen," she said in "Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions)" (via Bustle). Evidently, she knew she could count on him to help her realize her vision.
He doesn't want to be a 'huge celebrity'
In addition to her on-and-off relationship with ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, Miley Cyrus' romance history includes reality TV personality Kaitlynn Carter, musician Cody Simpson, actor Patrick Schwarzenegger, and pop star Nick Jonas. Her personal life has been under a microscope since her teen years, and that amount of pressure certainly can't be easy on a new relationship. After she was spotted making out with Simpson following her split from Hemsworth, she took to Instagram Stories to ask that reporters and spectators alike let her live. "I have a great life I wouldn't trade for 'privacy' but PLEASE don't make this awkward for me! I am trying to make light and like always MAKE FUN of myself / and the public's perception of me!" she wrote (via Paper). "Get used to me dating — this is where I am at!"
Bearing all of this in mind, dating someone who is entirely uninterested in the spotlight may be just the thing the doctor ordered. Enter: Maxx Morando. "He is supportive of Miley and happy to be by her side at events, but prefers that they don't share too much publicly," a source dished to Life & Style (via OK! magazine). "Miley has learned from the mistakes she made in the past. This is what works for her and Maxx."
Another source echoed this statement in People: "He has no interest in being a huge celebrity; he's very low-key." This is reportedly something Cyrus is very happy with.