EXCLUSIVE: Miley Cyrus Faces Trolling Over Dolly Parton Tribute Album 'Cash-In'

Miley Cyrus is facing claims she is planning to "cash in" on Dolly Parton's death, after sources exclusively told RadarOnline.com she is considering recording a deeply personal tribute album celebrating her beloved godmother's music.

The 33-year-old singer is understood to be exploring a record drawn from her late godmother Parton's vast catalog following the country legend's death at 80.

Cyrus was not biologically related to Parton, but the pair shared a close relationship stretching back to Cyrus's childhood after Parton became friends with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus.

Music industry figures now tell us Miley knows the timing of any tribute will attract criticism, particularly if an album arrives soon after Parton's death.

But those familiar with the idea insist the motivation behind it is personal rather than commercial, and that Miley had contemplated ways of celebrating her godmother's musical legacy before her death.

The proposed project could see Miley reinterpret some of Parton's best-known country, pop and gospel songs in her own distinctive style rather than attempting straightforward recreations of the originals.

Those familiar with discussions around the project say Miley is particularly sensitive to suggestions that a tribute could look like an attempt to profit from grief.

Miley's longstanding public and private relationship with Parton, they argue, makes such accusations especially painful.

Parton became Miley's godmother after developing a friendship with Billy Ray when they toured together around the time his hit Achy Breaky Heart transformed him into a country star.

Their closeness once generated tabloid speculation about a romance between Parton and Billy Ray.

When he apologized to her about the rumors, Parton characteristically saw the funny side.

She said: "Honey, this s--- sells records!"

Parton, who had no biological children, treated Miley like family and famously appeared as Aunt Dolly alongside her in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana.

Their musical partnership continued into Miley's adulthood. They performed Jolene together in 2017, co-hosted Miley's New Year's Eve Party in 2023, and collaborated on a new rendition of Miley's Wrecking Ball for Parton's 2023 album Rockstar.

Those connections are expected to form the emotional foundation of any tribute record, with people familiar with the concept stressing that Miley would want the album to tell the story of their relationship rather than simply exploit Parton's greatest hits.

Parton also publicly defended Miley throughout the controversies that accompanied her transformation from Disney child star into an adult performer.

She told Us Weekly: "Nobody gives Miley advice. She's headstrong as I am... but we both respect each other, and we share things."

Miley previously revealed Parton still communicated with her by fax and once sent an affectionate Mother's Day message.

Parton wrote: "How much do I love you? As much as my heart can hold and as far as my arms can reach."

Miley later described her godmother as a "living fantasy" and "saintly, godlike figure" in Time magazine.

A music industry source told Radar: "Miley knows there will inevitably be people accusing her of 'cashing in' on Dolly's death if she releases a tribute album. The trolling has almost become predictable – whatever she does will be scrutinized because Dolly was so universally loved and there is obviously money to be made from her extraordinary catalog.

"But what would really upset Miley is the suggestion that she is exploiting Dolly. Their relationship wasn't something manufactured for cameras or record sales. Dolly had been part of her life since she was a child, and Miley genuinely regarded her as family."

"There will always be cynics saying, 'Why release an album now? Why not when Dolly was alive?' Miley is very aware of that criticism," they continued. "She doesn't want the project to look like a rushed cash-in released to capitalize on the enormous attention surrounding Dolly's death."

Another insider added: "The commercial potential of this is obvious and nobody is pretending otherwise. A Miley Cyrus album interpreting Dolly Parton's biggest songs would generate huge interest. But Miley doesn't want the money or chart position to become the story because, for her, this is supposed to be about honoring somebody she loved.

"Miley is thick-skinned when it comes to trolling, but accusations that she is planning to use Dolly's death for financial gain would hit differently. She knows how close they really were, and the people around them know it too."

The tipster continued, "The challenge is getting the timing and tone right. Release it too quickly, and critics will call it opportunistic. Leave it too long, and people will ask why she waited. Miley would rather take criticism than put out something that feels cheap, rushed, or exploitative.

"If this happens, Miley wants it to feel unmistakably like a love letter to Dolly rather than a greatest-hits cash grab. She would reinterpret the songs through their relationship and her own musical identity. She has absolutely no interest in simply exploiting Dolly's name."