Billy Ray Cyrus’ ex-wife Firerose has accused him of “narcissistic abuse” in an Instagram post alongside a voice recording of a man she claims to be the country singer verbally abusing her.
Firerose, 38, who was married to Cyrus for seven months, claimed she spent “years being terrified” and said she was “trained to be afraid of what would happen if I even dared to think about sharing a glimpse of the truth I was living behind closed doors.”
“Over the years, my spirit was systematically worn down so that I became a shell of the person I was. This is always what happens with narcissistic abuse. It’s not an accident. It’s very much calculated so that the fear of sharing what’s really happening, overrides the agony of surviving it alone,” she wrote in the caption.
The Australian musician said she remembers “so clearly” believing that “it would be the end of me if I ever spoke up, even to my closest loved ones that I’d been forced to distance myself from, because I’d be raged at if I called them.”
“For every survivor who’s reaching out to me, I’m sharing this for you. You are not alone. I promise, you can survive no matter how unimaginably dark it gets. When the power imbalance is also so extreme, it just amplifies the abuse in a way that’s hard to imagine unless you’ve lived it,” she continued.
“Only by the grace of God did I survive and have I found my voice again,” she added.
In the audio allegedly of Cyrus shared on Instagram, a man can be heard telling Firerose to “shut your f–king mouth.”
He continues: “Stand there and cry, why don’t you stand there and cry. You deserve every bit of this. You won’t f–king stop. You are so selfish. The most selfish f–king human being I’ve ever known.”
“And I’ve known some selfish people. And you don’t even have sense enough after the fifth f–king time,” the man said.
Firerose can be heard saying, “I don’t know when I’m allowed to talk and when I’m not.”
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
Cyrus, 64, and Firerose finalized their divorce in August 2024. Cyrus cited irreconcilable differences and “inappropriate marital conduct” when he filed for divorce from Firerose, whose legal name is Johanna Rose Hodges. During their heated divorce proceedings, the couple accused each other of physical, verbal and emotional abuse.
Last month, Firerose posted a video featuring photos and clips of her and Cyrus set to a mashup of Billy Joels’ Piano Man and Fleetwood Mac’s Silver Springs.
“In your 20s you’ll meet a 49-year-old man who convinces you you’re his soulmate. It is very important you don’t believe him,” text over the video reads.
“If you’ve survived narcissistic abuse, you’re not alone. It’s chilling how similar survivors experiences really are. Behind closed doors, it’s always the same playbook,” she wrote in the caption.
“Control, isolation, rage, manipulation, walking on eggshells, cognitive dissonance, feeling like the only person in the world that can be experiencing what you are. But I promise, God sees everything and there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” the caption continued.
“You are far stronger than you think. Love is always still real, even if what you’re experiencing right now is abuse, not love,” she added.
Firerose previously spoke out about the Hannah Montana star following his performance at U.S. President Donald Trump’s Liberty Ball last January.
Cyrus took the stage in Washington, D.C., and his performance was deemed an “epic disaster” by fans after he got frustrated on stage over alleged technical difficulties.
“What’s being seen in public now reflects much of what I experienced in private during our relationship,” Firerose said in a statement at the time.
“It’s very sad to see those same struggles continue for him, but I’m glad the truth is coming to light — for his potential good because healing is only possible when you confront the truth and accept there’s a problem,” she continued.
“For me, I remain focused on my faith, my music, my healing and using my story to encourage others to find strength and hope.”
This also isn’t the first time Firerose shared an audio clip of an argument between herself and Cyrus.
In July 2024, an audio clip was first published by the British tabloid the Daily Mail. The recording hears Cyrus call Firerose a number of names, insult her intelligence and call a family member a “skank” and a “devil.”
In a social media statement posted in July 2024, Cyrus acknowledged the recorded argument between he and Firerose was heated.
“Hell yeah I was at my wit’s end,” Cyrus wrote. “As every day went by, I started realizing something was wrong. And that’s before I knew she was a fraud.”
Cyrus referenced a previous claim he made in a filing to the Tennessee courts, alleging Firerose lied about being married twice before and concealed her surname.
He accused Firerose of having earlier been arrested for “felony residential burglary.”
“I saw before my very own eyes, everything I thought I knew about her, was a lie,” he lamented. “She was trying to take over my career, my life and usurp the Cyrus name for her own gain.”
“See you in court,” Cyrus concluded.
Cyrus has not responded to Firerose’s latest comments as of this writing.
— With files from Global News
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.