Instagram/@billyraycyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus had been throwing up an anchoring spell-full of warm fuzzies for recent cherished on-stage father-daughter moments. The country music legend had shared an old clip via Instagram of him with his youngest daughter two weeks ago in London, captioning it simply: “Two weeks ago in London on stage with my daughter @noahcyrus ❤️ #iwantmylovedonestogowithme.” In the grainy black-and-white video, Billy Ray plays guitar while Noah stands near him and appears to enjoy the music.
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That diminutive and slightly poignant slice-of-life clip went viral in moments on social media, stirring nostalgia as the very sight of the Cyrus family growing up was before everybody’s eyes. A particularly poignant comment says, “I remember how little Noah was in your music video for ‘Face Of God’ in 2004. She has grown into an incredible young woman!” That later-time throwback reference really helps to paint an accurate picture of how long the fans were watching Noah; from a little child actor to a full-fledged Grammy-nominated artist.
A second one lamented on the rare opportunity of seeing Billy Ray on stage with Noah as the sister manages to eclipse both of them in fame: “Wish we could see Miley on that stage as well.” That comment was drawing reference to well-documented but complicated family dynamics within the Cyrus family. However, the majority of the comments remained upbeat, dropping love emoji and phrases such as “precious times with dad and daughter.”
According to what little has been told about Billy Ray’s recent European tour, this impromptu concert in London could have been one of its stops. Considering the musical performance was not really shown, apart from a little, the body language displayed by the father and daughter said it all: Shoulder-touching, relaxed, and mingling with unspoken magical music. These two have been working before: Noah collabed with her dad on “Set the Record Straight” in 2022, and they’ve been performing for the last couple of years.
What makes this all especially beautiful are the timing considerations, although lately, Billy Ray has been very active on social media, constantly sharing throwbacks and behind-the-scenes moments that place an emphasis on family ties. In recent years, he was famous for very few personal posts, so this could be a reflective moment in his life. The hashtag choice, #iwantmylovedonestogowithme, is even referencing back to Billy Ray’s 1992 hit—that just gives the post even more layers of nostalgia.
Unlike many posts warping human values surrounding (famously complicated) Cyrus family dynamics, the comments were apart from one wishing Miley had been there, overwhelmingly positive. Most commenters were sincerely touched by this simple father-daughter moment, with many recalling their own family relationships. “Hold your children close to your heart,” said one, while another added simply, “Beautiful,” with a heart emoji.
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With the show-stopping post, some of the recent trying moments the Cyruses have gone through in the public eye, namely Billy Ray’s and Tish’s divorce, along with Miley’s endless metamorphosis, are still not so distant from those small yet sincere moments that continue to strike a chord with people. There is something identifiable for anyone witnessing this—proud dad sharing a passion with his kid. One fan expressed it explicitly: “Love to see this.”