“This track is pure magic”: Billy Ray Cyrus thanks Miley Cyrus for birthday song amid family issues

Billy Ray Cyrus recently expressed deep gratitude toward his daughter Miley Cyrus, after she gifted him a song for his 64th birthday. The song, titled Secrets, marks a return to open communication between father and daughter. Released with contributions from Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac - two of Billy Ray’s lifelong musical influences - Secrets reflects not just a musical present, but a symbol of healing. In his Instagram post, Billy Ray wrote: 

“Best birthday gift a dad could ever ask for. ❤️ Thank you @mileycyrus for Secrets... a song straight from your heart to mine...Having Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood on this track is pure magic.” 

Best birthday gift a dad could ever ask for. ❤️ Thank you @MileyCyrus for Secrets... a song straight from your heart to mine. The memories we’ve made together mean the world to me, and seeing you soar with your music makes me prouder every single day. Having Lindsey Buckingham… pic.twitter.com/YKbNK4XbNQ

— Billy Ray Cyrus (@billyraycyrus) September 19, 2025

The track’s lyrics delve into vulnerability, trust and family bonds, coming after years of public speculation about ruptures between Billy Ray and various family members including Miley. In interviews, Miley has been open about wanting to be someone her father could confide in, even during the more difficult chapters in their shared past. 

The release of Secrets follows Miley’s reflections that past tension, especially after her parents’ divorce in 2022 had distanced them. This birthday song was thus both a reconciliatory and artistic expression amid those family issues. 

How and why Billy Ray Cyrus thanked Miley Cyrus via Secrets

Billy Ray Cyrus’s public message of thanks makes clear that Secrets was not just a birthday gift, but something of greater emotional significance. In his caption accompanying a video clip of himself listening to the song in a field, he praised Miley for composing, producing and bringing together artists she knew her dad loved. He called the song “the gift of music” and expressed his love for his daughter. 

Miley wrote Secrets with family affairs in mind. She has said in podcast interviews that she wanted her father to share secrets, even the painful ones and that she hoped to become someone he could feel safe with, someone trustworthy enough to hold difficult truths. Lyrics such as “Secrets, I want to keep your secrets” and promises of holding confidences are woven through the track. 

The background here is important. Billy Ray’s divorce from Tish Cyrus in 2022 and subsequent public speculation about tension between him and some of his children, especially Miley, have been widely reported. Miley has acknowledged “challenges” in their relationship and described family as her priority “above all else” in recent statements. 

By giving him Secrets on his birthday, Miley appears to be extending an olive branch. For his part, Billy Ray’s response seems to accept that gesture. His Instagram post is warm, emotional and full of appreciation. 

He posted that she had created something special, something magical that spoke to both their artistic bond and their personal history. While the track is unreleased (as of the birthday post), it acts as part of a process of reconciliation amid the family issues that have been in view for some time.