Growing up Cyrus wasn’t exactly normal. Most kids have a family tree; they had a family franchise. While the world watched Miley Cyrus swing on wrecking balls and reinvent herself every six months, her older brother Trace Cyrus was carving out his own jagged path. Honestly, the dynamic between these two is way more complicated than just "siblings of a superstar."
Trace isn't just "the brother." He’s the guy who gave us "Shake It" with Metro Station while Miley was still shaking off the Hannah Montana wig. But lately, things have gotten... messy. Between a fractured divorce involving their parents, Tish and Billy Ray, and public letters that read like a therapy session gone wrong, the bond between Trace Cyrus and Miley Cyrus has been tested by fire.
The MySpace Years and the "Secret" Connection
Back in 2006, the world was a different place. People were still ranking their "Top 8" on MySpace. That’s where Metro Station actually started. Trace and his bandmate Mason Musso met on the set of Hannah Montana—Mason’s brother Mitchel played Oliver—and they bonded over being the "other" kids in the shadow of a Disney giant.
Trace has always been a bit defensive about the "nepo baby" label. He’s claimed in several interviews, including a pretty candid Instagram Q&A in late 2023, that he thinks he’d actually be more successful if he weren't a Cyrus. Bold claim? Absolutely. He argued that people immediately judge his music or discredit his grind because of his last name. He even told fans that his label didn't even know who his dad was until after they signed him. Whether you believe that or not, it shows how much Trace wanted to be his own man.
Why the Cyrus Family Feud Actually Matters
If you’ve been following the news, you know 2024 and 2025 were basically a "Dark Decade" condensed into two years for this family. When Tish Cyrus and Billy Ray finally called it quits in 2022 after 30 years, the kids essentially picked teams. It wasn't clean. It was a warzone.
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Miley stayed fiercely loyal to Tish. Trace did too—he even served as a groomsman at Tish’s 2023 wedding to Prison Break actor Dominic Purcell, while siblings Noah and Braison were noticeably absent. But then things took a sharp turn. In early 2025, Trace went public with an emotional open letter to Billy Ray. He called his dad "unhealthy" and claimed the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer had pushed the whole family away.
"Me and the girls have been genuinely worried about you for years," Trace wrote.
That "girls" part? He was talking about Miley, Brandi, and Noah. It was a rare moment where Trace spoke for the collective, confirming that despite the different "sides" they took during the divorce, the concern for their father was a shared burden.
Miley’s Silent Stance vs. Trace’s "Beast Mode"
Miley is a different beast entirely. She’s at a point in her career where she’s won the Grammys—finally bagging Best Country Duo with Beyoncé for "II Most Wanted" in 2025—and she just wants peace. During an interview on Monica Lewinsky’s Reclaiming podcast in June 2025, Miley admitted that the family had "skipped therapy" because getting everyone in one room would have caused a literal war.
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She’s been the one trying to wave the white flag. She’s called it "emotional hoarding"—the way they all kept their grievances piled up for ten years.
Trace, on the other hand, hasn't been as quiet. He’s moved into what he calls "beast mode." He’s lean, he’s sober (celebrating over a year and a half clean from alcohol in early 2025), and he’s focused on a country-leaning solo sound. His 2024 single "Cowgirl Ride" was a total pivot from the synth-pop of his Metro Station days. It’s almost like he and Miley are finally meeting in the middle, musically speaking, even if their personal lives are still a bit of a jigsaw puzzle.
What Most People Get Wrong About Them
The biggest misconception is that they don't get along. They do. Or at least, they try to. Miley and Trace have a deep-seated respect for each other's survival skills. They both lived through the Disney machine, though from different angles.
- They have unreleased music together. Trace once mentioned a song called "Shot in the Dark" that he recorded with Miley. He refused to release it because he didn't want to use her for "exposure."
- The "Legal Action" Rumors. After Trace posted that letter to Billy Ray, rumors swirled that Billy Ray threatened him with a lawsuit. While the family hasn't confirmed a courtroom battle, the tension is real.
- Miley’s "Roadmap." Miley has often described her dad as a "roadmap" of what to do and what not to do in the industry. Trace seems to be following that same map, but he's much more vocal about the "what not to do" part.
The New Chapter: 2026 and Beyond
As of early 2026, the dust is starting to settle, but the house isn't exactly clean. Trace is gearing up for a new album, and Miley is reportedly working on a track inspired by the tension with her father. They aren't the "perfect" family we saw on the Disney Channel. They’re a group of adults trying to figure out how to be related to one another without the cameras—or the trauma—getting in the way.
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The real takeaway here? Being a Cyrus is a full-time job. Trace and Miley might have different ways of handling the "family business," but they’re both survivors. They’ve managed to stay relevant in an industry that usually eats child stars for breakfast.
How to Navigate Your Own Family Drama (The Cyrus Way)
If you’re dealing with your own family "dark decade," there are actually a few things we can learn from how Trace and Miley have handled the spotlight:
- Set Hard Boundaries: Miley’s decision to stay out of the public fray between Trace and Billy Ray isn't weakness; it's self-preservation. Sometimes you have to "remove yourself" to stay sane.
- Direct Communication (Even if it's Public): While Trace’s open letter was controversial, it forced the issues into the light. If the private "lines of communication" are broken, sometimes you have to find a new way to be heard.
- Focus on Personal Growth: Trace’s sobriety and Miley’s career peak didn't happen by accident. They both leaned into their work and health when things got chaotic at home.
- Accept the Mess: As Miley said, "We’re so messy." Sometimes the first step to healing is just admitting that the family dynamic is a disaster and deciding to have a "good time" together anyway.
Check out Trace's latest solo tracks if you want to see how he's processing his legacy through music—it's a far cry from the "Shake It" days, but it's arguably the most honest he's ever been.