Billy Ray Cyrus And Firerose Have A Much Bigger Age Gap Than We Realized
In 2021, when Billy Ray Cyrus and Australian musician Firerose joined forces for their collaboration on the song "New Day," most thought nothing other than music would come out of it. However, about a year later, an anonymous source disclosed to People that the two were romantically involved and had been for quite some time.
The insider explained, "They grew close while working on music together," before quickly adding, "[Billy Ray] and Tish [Cyrus] were over before he started dating [Firerose]." Tish, the mother of Miley Cyrus and four of her siblings, filed for divorce from Billy Ray in April 2022. As reported by Us Weekly, court documents revealed that they had been living apart for at least two years before the divorce filing, providing context for Billy Ray's subsequent relationship with Firerose.
Nevertheless, an attention-grabbing fact came to light when the country star shared that he first met Firerose on the set of "Hannah Montana," uncovering that they have a much bigger age gap than we realized. The intriguing revelation shocked many, as Firerose is around the same age as Miley, who was the teenage star of the Disney Channel show that brought them together.
Their friendship gradually turned to romance
The singer behind "Achy Breaky Heart" opened up about his growing connection with Firerose in an interview with People. According to Billy Ray Cyrus, their paths first crossed in 2010 when Firerose visited the set of "Hannah Montana." While her exact birth date remains unconfirmed, reports suggest Firerose was born in the late eighties. Media outlets mostly portray Billy Ray, born in 1961, as being 28 years her senior. This would place Firerose at around 21 years old when they first met, with Billy Ray being 49.
Reflecting on their initial encounter, Billy Ray recalled, "There was almost a moment of, I don't know, recognition. I was like, 'This girl's a star.'" Their connection deepened over a shared love of music, and they remained close friends over the years. Things took a romantic turn during the COVID-19 pandemic, which coincided with Billy Ray's marital issues with Tish Cyrus, when they started collaborating on music.
Firerose explained, "Billy confided in me a lot of what was going on in his life. I was just the best friend I could possibly be, supporting him." On numerous occasions, they've both taken to their Instagram accounts to express their affection for one another. In the caption accompanying the initial photo that Billy Ray posted of the two, he noted simply, "Music changes everything."
Their relationship caused tension within the family
As per their People interview, Firerose relocated to Billy Ray Cyrus' Tennessee farm in the early summer of 2022. Shortly thereafter, he popped the question. Firerose shared, "He said, 'I love you. I wanna make this official. I wanna be with you forever,'" revealing that she later had the opportunity to design her own engagement ring. The couple gushed about each other on "Good Morning America," after debuting their latest collaboration, "Plans." Billy Ray described them as a "peanut butter and jelly [combination]," while Firerose referred to him as her soulmate.
The musicians tied the knot in October 2023, sharing the news on Instagram, with Firerose captioning a wedding photo, "It was the most perfect, ethereal celebration of love we could have ever imagined." Despite their considerable age gap, the couple appears to share a profound connection and remains unconcerned about others' opinions.
However, there seems to be tension within the Cyrus family, particularly with Miley Cyrus, who reportedly has a strained relationship with her father following his split from Tish Cyrus. An insider close to the family divulged to E! News that Miley isn't close to Firerose but wishes her father all the best. Conversely, Noah Cyrus, the youngest child of Tish and Billy Ray, appears to have aligned herself with her father's side of the family, as she was absent from Tish's wedding to Dominic Purcell following their fast-moving relationship.