"It was weird timing": Miley and Tish Cyrus laugh off viral Instagram 'unfollow' confusion

Miley Cyrus and her mother Tish are clearing up an online misunderstanding that briefly sparked speculation about their relationship.

On the latest episode of their family podcast Sorry We’re Cyrus, co-hosted by Tish and Brandi Cyrus, the matriarch addressed the viral moment with a laugh:

“Miley, why do you think your mom unfollowed you on Instagram?”

Miley admitted that the timing was suspicious. She referred to a recent Instagram post featuring her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, with whom she had been estranged.

“If you were in the family or not in the family, it was weird timing. Like I went to go see B Ray and, like, you did mysteriously unfollow me.”

She then teased her mom further, saying:

“And then you got some backlash, and then suddenly you knew how to press that ‘follow’ button.”

She quickly added:

“Just kidding.”

The pop star then explained the technical reason behind the incident.

“The truth is — which is boring — there’s a bug in Meta which... it naturally unfollows the person that you follow with the most engagement.”

Tish recalled how surprised she was when the public noticed the unfollow.

“It was insane, though.”

The younger admitted she speculated:

“I was like, either, ‘Mom lost her glasses and can’t see,’... And then, there was actually a bug in Meta.”

The mother-daughter duo had already addressed the issue when it first went viral in May. When a user asked Tish about it on Instagram, she replied:

“I didn’t! Idk what happened lol.”

She later followed up on X (formerly Twitter), writing:

“I would never unfollow Miley, her and I are as close as we’ve always been. Period. Love you Little.”

The Flowers hitmaker also responded to the chatter, writing on Instagram Stories:

“I rarely comment on rumors, but my mama and I are too tight for anything to ever come between us.”

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Miley Cyrus embraces “cougar” title, jokes about turning 33 before Maxx turns 27

In the same podcast episode, Miley also spoke openly about her relationship with musician Maxx Morando, where she addressed the age difference between them with a mix of humor and reflection.

“He will be 27 when I turn 33, which I’m so excited for him to turn 27 cause that was such a great year for me.”

Brandi, Miley’s DJ sister, who is also dating someone slightly younger, laughed along with the conversation as the sisters jokingly leaned into their shared “cougar” energy.

The End of the World songstress reflected on how her own life shifted at 27, calling it a turning point.

“That’s right when I started turning my life around.”

Miley and Maxx, who were first linked in 2021, seem to share more than just a connection. They share values and a similar approach to life. She told Harper’s Bazaar in a previous interview:

“We just don’t take life too seriously.”

The Grammy-winning artist also credited their chemistry to something beyond age: astrology.

“He’s a Scorpio and so is his grandfather. That’s what makes Maxx just so cool because he can sting. Like, [Scorpios are] very cool, think that they’re little angels, until it turns around and they got a sting.”

She went on:

“I could not be with someone [who] does not sting. They already would have been toast.”

Miley ended the podcast on a lighthearted note, poking fun at herself while expressing support for her partner.

“I’m just hoping that, as long as he follows in my footsteps, everything is going to be great.”