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Miley Cyrus appears to be entering a new chapter, and she may be leaving "Cyrus" behind.
On Aug. 31, the Grammy-winning singer quietly removed her last name from her social media profiles and began using simply "Miley."
She also shared a red-and-black photo of herself on Instagram with the caption, "MILEY," without explaining the change.
The timing has fueled speculation about whether the move is connected to her upcoming music. Cyrus confirmed on Sept. 1 that her new album, Bass Persuades, will be released Sept. 18.
"Music takes hold of us," she wrote in announcing the project. "We feel it, sing it, sometimes dance to it, let it out and carry on. It is powerful, vulnerable, sweet and strong. Heart full, heartache, every part of life in between. That's what the title means to me."
The album follows her 2025 record Something Beautiful and marks another stage in what Cyrus has described as a personal evolution. In a July interview with Wonderland magazine, she called the forthcoming record "a love story," adding that it reflects where she is in her life.
"There is definitely a romantic thread weaving through it because, like all my records, it's a reflection of where I am in my life," she said. She also described "a peaceful kind of love" as a theme across her recent music, including the love she has found for herself.
The name change has also prompted questions about her relationship with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Miley previously acknowledged that they had been distant before repairing their relationship.
She explained that she approached the reconciliation by focusing first on rebuilding happiness between them.
Cyrus is also engaged to musician Maxx Morando, whom she has been dating for several years. The couple became engaged in December 2025.
Her latest rebrand comes shortly after the death of her godmother, Dolly Parton, who died Aug. 25 at 80. Cyrus paid tribute to Parton on Instagram, writing, "I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis."
