Billy Ray Cyrus is returning to original music with an album built around family, grief, and the Tennessee property where he says he has been finding his way back.
The country singer will release The Hill on June 16, his first album of original material in 14 years. In a new People cover story, Cyrus described the record as part of a return to work after several difficult years, including his mother’s death, divorce, illness, and family strain.
The title comes from the hill on his property outside Nashville, where his mother Ruthie is buried. Cyrus told People he visits the spot every day, and the place became the emotional center of the album.
The project also brings his children directly into the music. Braison Cyrus produced and helped write the record, while Noah Cyrus appears on the song “On Our Way Along,” turning the comeback into a family collaboration rather than a solo reset.
The Album Started on the Hill Where His Mother Is Buried
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Cyrus told People that his mother died in 2022, during a period already marked by major upheaval in his personal life. He said the hill where she is buried became a daily place for him, and that setting eventually gave the album its title.
The interview also connects the record to a low point after the pandemic and his divorce from Tish Cyrus. Cyrus said he went through a stretch when he had not worked for a long time and had to adjust to being back in motion again. “I had entered a period where I hadn’t worked for a really long time,” he told People, adding that he eventually reminded himself, “Cyrus, you’re working now, man.”
People reported that Cyrus was diagnosed with vocal paralysis in 2024 and described a bout of sepsis that left him hospitalized before what he called a recovery. He also spoke about his short marriage to Firerose, which ended in 2024 after both sides made allegations in court documents before settling the divorce.
Noah and Braison Cyrus Helped Shape the New Record
The Hill is being released as a family project as much as a Billy Ray Cyrus album. His official site lists the album among his current music, while People reported that Braison produced and helped co-write the record. Noah duets with her father on “On Our Way Along,” the lead single released ahead of the album.
That family focus follows months of public attention on the Cyrus family’s relationships. People reported that Cyrus also reunited onscreen with Miley Cyrus for the upcoming Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special, and he told the outlet that the current moment feels connected to the family’s roots.
Cyrus also credited his grandson Bear with giving him a phrase that stayed with him during a difficult stretch. He told People that Bear looked at him and said, “Try again,” a line Cyrus connected to both music and family.
Elizabeth Hurley Is Part of the Same Timeline
Cyrus’ relationship with Elizabeth Hurley sits in the background of the album rollout, but the People cover story keeps the focus on music and family. The pair first met while filming the 2022 holiday movie Christmas in Paradise, then lost touch after production.
In an Entertainment Weekly report on his Apple Music Country interview, Cyrus said Hurley later reached out during a hard period in his life with a message telling him he had a friend in his corner. He said the support came at a moment when he needed it.
Cyrus and Hurley went public with their relationship on Easter Sunday 2025. In the new People cover story, Cyrus said they now spend time between his Nashville property and Hurley’s life in London, while the album’s main thread remains close to Tennessee: the hill, his mother, his children, and the songs he made after wondering whether he was finished.
“The past is over and done. The future is what we have, and we got to look forward,” Cyrus told People.