The woman who sang "Flowers" about loving herself just said yes to love again. Here's why this engagement marks a complete transformation from her past—and what she revealed about the surprise proposal in Asia.
Miley Cyrus has found her person-again. But this time, everything feels different.
The three-time Grammy winner confirmed on Wednesday that she is engaged to fellow musician Maxx Morando, the 27-year-old drummer who got down on one knee during a recent Asian vacation. For the pop star who once famously sang about buying herself flowers and loving herself better than anyone else could, this announcement represents something profound: a second chance at love built on growth, sobriety and partnership.
And the ring? Let's just say Morando "did good."
The Surprise Proposal That Shocked the Unshockable Miley
When Cyrus, 33, appeared at the Monday Los Angeles premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash, eagle-eyed fans noticed that something was gleaming on her engagement finger-a show-stopping gold-and-diamond ring that sent social media into frenzied speculation. By Wednesday, Cyrus confirmed what everyone had suspected in an interview with Good Morning America.
It was, however, her description of the proposal that showed just how much she has changed.
"I'm not easy to surprise because I really love control, and I had completely given that up, and I'm so, so, so surprised," Cyrus raved, flashing her ring for the cameras.
For anyone who has followed Cyrus's turbulent journey through fame, addiction struggles, and a very public divorce, those words-"I had completely surrendered"-carry enormous weight. This is a woman who spent years building walls, maintaining control, and famously declaring her independence. That she let go enough to be genuinely surprised speaks volumes for where she is emotionally.
Four Years of "Drastic Growth"
Cyrus didn't hold back when discussing what makes this relationship different from her previous attempts at forever.
"Me and Max have been together for four years and it's very obvious the drastic amount of growth that I've had in those four years," she told Good Morning America. "You want to have someone by your side that always tells you you can do it."
That growth has been evident to anyone paying attention. The Miley of 2024 is nearly unrecognizable from the wild child who swung naked on a wrecking ball or the heartbroken woman who divorced Australian actor Liam Hemsworth in 2019 after a decade-long on-again, off-again relationship and a brief marriage that lasted less than a year.
The woman who emerged from that divorce wrote "Flowers," the defiant anthem about self-love that became her biggest hit. But finding yourself and finding the right partner aren't mutually exclusive—and Morando appears to be exactly what Cyrus needed at exactly the right time in her life.
The Blind Date That Changed Everything
In a 2023 interview with British Vogue, Cyrus revealed that she and Morando met after being "put on a blind date"—a decidedly low-key origin story for one of pop music's biggest stars and the drummer from LA-based band Liily.
The relationship has been noticeably more private compared to Cyrus' previous romances, which played out in the tabloid spotlight with all the drama and intensity you'd expect from a former Disney star turned pop provocateur. However, with Morando, Cyrus has refreshingly kept things under the radar, choosing intimacy over Instagram announcements and partnership over publicity.
Morando's band performed alongside heavy hitters like Cyrus's godmother Dolly Parton and Talking Heads frontman David Byrne at NBC's Miley's New Year's Eve Party, hosted by Cyrus in 2022. It was one of the rare public appearances that gave a hint about their creative compatibility and shared artistic vision.
From Liam to Maxx: What Changed?
The difference between Cyrus's experiences with Hemsworth versus those with Morando couldn't be more drastic.
Cyrus and Hemsworth met on set while filming The Last Song back in 2009; Cyrus was only 16 at the time. The two would go through several breakups and reconnections before their eventual wedding in December 2018. Fast forward to August 2019, they announced that they had separated, stating "irreconcilable differences."
It was a messy and very public breakup in which both parties moved on rather quickly-Hemsworth with model Gabriella Brooks, Cyrus with a string of relationships that seemed designed to prove she was done with conventional romance. She dated Cody Simpson, dated women including Kaitlynn Carter, and generally seemed to be embodying the chaos and freedom she'd been denied during her relationship with Hemsworth.
But with the six-years-younger Morando, Cyrus seems to have found something she wasn't able to before: stability without suffocation, partnership without performance, and love that doesn't require her to dim her light.
The Sobriety Factor
But perhaps the biggest reveal came with Cyrus's commitment to sobriety and mental health-two priorities which have very clearly trickled into her relationship with Morando and her career.
In January, Cyrus released her ninth studio album but surprised fans when she announced she has "no desire" to go on tour. Her reasons were candid: touring makes it nearly impossible to maintain her sobriety and protect her mental health.
"It's hard for me to maintain my sobriety and my mental health while on the road," she explained, choosing wellness over the massive paychecks and adulation that comes with stadium tours.
A level of self-awareness and willingness to put health over fame that would've been unimaginable to Younger Miley. But it's precisely the foundation on which a healthy relationship is built—and Morando seems like someone who supports those choices, rather than undermining them.
The Ring and What It Represents
When Cyrus held her gold and diamond ring for Good Morning America cameras, proclaiming that Morando "did good," she was talking about more than just jewelry design.
The ring symbolizes the second chance to build a life with somebody, but this time, from a place of wholeness, not need. This is not the young woman that thought a marriage would complete her or fix something broken. This is a woman who had already found herself and was now choosing to share herself with someone who enhanced rather than diminished her.
Looking Ahead: "Dream as One"
The timing of the engagement is particularly poignant given Cyrus's latest musical offering. Her new song "Dream as One" features in Avatar: Fire and Ash, the latest installment of James Cameron's epic franchise. The title alone feels symbolic-a woman who famously bought herself flowers is now ready to dream as one with someone else.
But this isn't a fairy tale ending where the independent woman gives up her autonomy for love. It's something more nuanced and harder-won: the partnership between two whole people who choose each other every day.
What This Means for Miley's Next Chapter
Where Cyrus is now- ENG, sober, creatively satisfied and clearly happier than she has appeared in years-the question becomes: what does she do next?
She has already said touring is not on the cards-her mental health over the grind of life on the road. She is releasing music on her own time, contributing to blockbuster soundtracks without compromising her artistic vision. And now, she's planning a wedding with someone who reportedly helps her grow rather than trying to change her.
For fans who've watched Cyrus grow up in the spotlight-from Hannah Montana to twerking on Robin Thicke to naked wrecking balls to the confident, clear-eyed woman she is today-this engagement feels like the culmination of a long journey toward self-acceptance and authentic love.
The woman who once sang "I can buy myself flowers / Write my name in the sand / Talk to myself for hours / Say things you don't understand" found someone who understands her—and that might be the most surprising plot twist of all.
Congratulations, Miley. You really did "do it" yourself. And now you've chosen someone worthy of doing it alongside you.
Follow ZOSIO for more updates on the wedding plans of Miley Cyrus and her continued growth as an artist and icon.