Billy Ray Cyrus’ Ex-Wife Speaks Out After Family Expressed Concern for Singer

At least one person wasn’t surprised by Billy Ray Cyrus’ disastrous performance at President Donald Trump’s Liberty Inaugural Ball, which left his family publicly expressing their concern.

“What’s being seen in public now reflects much of what I experienced in private during our relationship,” his ex-wife of less than a year, Firerose, told Page Six of the “Achy Breaky Heart” star.

The 25-year-old singer married Cyrus, 63, in Oct. 2023, but just seven months later he filed for divorce, sought an annulment on the grounds of fraud and accused her of stealing his money.

His marriage to Tish Cyrus—mother of his daughters Brandi, Miley and Noah Cyrus and sons Trace and Braison—ended in 2022.

Firerose—who was born Johanna Rose Hodges—in turn accused him of screaming at her and controlling her, and said he kicked her out of their house the same day she was scheduled to undergo a preventive double mastectomy (she is a carrier for the BRCA1 gene).

“It’s very sad to see those same struggles continue for him,” she said of Monday’s performance. “But I’m glad the truth is coming to light for his potential good, because healing is only possible when you confront the truth and accept there’s a problem.”

She didn’t elaborate on what those struggles were, but some fans speculated Cyrus was abusing drugs or alcohol. Faced with an admittedly baffling set-up, Cyrus looked lost as he strummed along meekly to a giant projection of the music video for Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road, which he contributed a chorus to, and quietly sang his part.

He then remained on stage without a backing band and tried to keep playing his guitar, which had been cut, and complained while the techs apparently tried to restore it. He then handed off the guitar to the stage crew and started snapping his fingers and singing an uninspired verse of “Achy Breaky Heart.”

After the stage lights were killed, he bowed and danced around in the dark to a recording of his song “Couldn’t Been Me,” apparently soaking up the imaginary screams of an adoring crowd. The Liberty Ball crowd was just sort of quiet and confused.

Cyrus blamed the mishap on technical failures and said he didn’t regret the performance. But his son Trace took to Instagram on Thursday to say Cyrus’ children—several of whom are estranged from their dad—had been “genuinely worried” about him for years. After Monday’s debacle, Trace begged him to get help.

“You’re not healthy Dad & everyone is noticing it,” he wrote. “We haven’t talked in a while but I’m over a year and half clean from alcohol. Guess what? I feel amazing... I don’t know what you’re struggling with exactly but I think I have a pretty good idea & I’d love to help you if you would open up and receive the help.”

But the message seemed to fall on deaf ears. On Friday, Billy Ray Cyrus announced he was making a new album with his son Braison, 30, who made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in July.

“This is art imitating life, imitating art,” Billy Ray told People magazine in a statement. “It starts and ends with art. Braison is very talented and ‘25 is his year. I’m glad to be a part of it. This record is gonna be special. I’m gearing up for what will be the journey of a lifetime.”

In a separate statement, Braison said he’d spent the last year getting to know his father better than he ever had.

“[The record] is an opportunity to tell my dad’s story through music, and I’m fortunate to be able to take it,” he said.