Billy Ray Cyrus is prepared for a legal battle. 

After an audio recording of the Disney Channel alum allegedly in a heated argument with his estranged wife Firerose (real name: Johanna Rosie Hodges), with whom he is currently in the process of divorcing, was released, he seemingly responded to the clip in a social media statement. 

“Hell yeah I was at my wit’s end,” Billy Ray wrote in an Instagram Story July 24. “As every day went by, I started realizing something was wrong.”

The 62-year-old—who shares children Brandi Cyrus, 37, Trace Cyrus, 35, Miley Cyrus, 31, Braison Cyrus, 30, and Noah Cyrus, 24 with ex Tish Cyrus as well as son Christopher Cody Cyrus, 32, with ex Kristin Luckey—also went on to seemingly throw accusations toward Firerose. 

“And that’s before I realized she was a fraud,” he continued. “I just knew something wasn’t right. That was before I knew she was David Hodges’ ex wife. That’s before I knew her parents’ last name.”

The Hannah Montana actor’s lengthy response concluded with the country singer noting once again that he felt deceived by his estranged wife, which he had previously noted in his divorce filings.

“I saw before my very own eyes,” Billy Ray continued. “Everything I thought I knew about her was a lie. She was trying to take over my career, my life and usurp the Cyrus name for her own gain. See you in court.”

Later, Rose Palermo and Jason Talley of Cheatham Palermo and Garrett, lawyers for Billy Ray, released a statement on his behalf to E! News. 

“With regards to this recording, Ms. Hodges is the person who made the recording without telling Mr. Cyrus that she was recording him,” the statement detailed. “Unfortunately, Ms. Hodges is attempting to litigate her case in the press for her own personal gain and in an attempt to harm our client's longstanding career, as she promised she would do if he tried to divorce her, which Mr. Cyrus alleged in a previous court filing.”

In the aforementioned audio recording, obtained by E! News, a man who sounds like the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer can be heard yelling at and insulting Firerose over an alleged disagreement about a performance. 

The audio release comes just two months after Billy Ray filed for divorce to end his seven-month marriage to Firerose in May, saying that his estranged wife had "knowingly, willfully, and intentionally" committed fraud by lying about her identity to him, further alleging that she had told him she'd never been married.

For her part, Firerose denied these allegations. 

"His story keeps evolving and this filing is simply another abusive tactic to distract away from the serious, true allegations brought against him," a rep for Firerose told E! News in a June 25 statement. "The only individuals supporting his false claims are those on his payroll, whose credibility is questionable."

Keep reading to untangle Billy Ray and Firerose’s relationship since its 2022 beginnings.

Billy Ray Cyrus' first encounter with Firerose came when he was taking a break with his dog on the set of Hannah Montana, the hit Disney Channel series he starred on with his daughter Miley Cyrus from 2006 until 2011.

"On that given day, Firerose came out of the front door," the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer told People. "There was almost a moment of, I don't know, recognition. I was like, 'This girl's a star.'"

While Cyrus had no idea who Firerose, then 22, was at the time, his future fiancé definitely knew who he was. "Growing up in Australia, my love of music was predominant over everything," she said. "I've known his music since forever."

There for an audition, Cyrus offered to introduce Firerose to the Hannah Montana crew and invited her to watch the show's rehearsal. 

"She met a lot of the cast and met the producers, writers," he said. "And, in some ways, well, in a lot of ways, we became friends."

While the duo stayed in touch—"Our friendship was so solid over the years," Firerose told People—their bond grew when they became songwriting partners during the pandemic. 

"She plays all of her own instruments and writes her own songs," Cyrus explained. "We began sharing music, and it just evolved."

Cyrus and Firerose released their first song together "New Day," which they collaborated on amid Cyrus' private marital strife. Tish Cyrus filed for divorce for a second time in April 2022, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their split and noting they hadn't lived together since February 2020.

"Billy confided in me a lot of what was going on in his life," Firerose explained. "I was just the best friend I could possibly be, supporting him."

 

After finalizing his divorce with Tish and "a lot prayer," Cyrus was ready to move on and asked Firerose to be more than friends.

"When we began sharing the music, it just evolved more into, as musical soulmates, to soulmates, happy, pure love that to me, I didn't know could exist," Cyrus said. "Again, we're musicians, first and foremost, both of us. And we found this harmony, and this rhythm, this melody to life."

Soon after they began dating, Firerose moved to Cyrus' Franklin, Tenn., farm.

Cyrus officially confirmed his relationship with Firerose when he posted the first selfie of the couple on his Instagram page. 

"Wishing everyone a brilliant time at the @vmas tonight!" he captioned the pic. "Music changes everything."

Firerose also shared the photo on her page, using it to pay tribute to her boyfriend. "The world is a better place with you in it," she wrote on Aug. 25. "Happy Birthday Billy."

The pair celebrated the fall season with a cozy snap in front of a tree with orange and red leaves, but all eyes were on the diamond ring on Firerose's finger, fueling speculation that the couple was engaged. 

The couple released their second collaboration "Time," with Cyrus describing the tune as a "reckoning."

"I've spent my life worried about things that are beyond my control," he told People. "But at this spot in my life, [I know] that all you really have is the happiness that you feel inside your mind and your heart."

After months of speculation, Cyrus' rep confirmed to E! News that he was engaged to Firerose. 

"Together imagine magic everyday," Cyrus captioned a Nov. 22 selfie of the couple. "…that's what love is."

Firerose later detailed Cyrus' proposal, which happened in August at their Tennessee home. 

"Billy looked at me and said, 'Do you, do you wanna marry me?' And I was just like, 'Of course I do. I love you,'" she recalled. "He said, 'I love you. I wanna make this official. I wanna be with you forever.' "

The singers were "dreaming of a white Christmas" while celebrating the holidays together. To commemorate the season, the couple teamed up for a cover of "Silent Night."

While Cyrus captioned this snap "Sunsets were made for this," he and Firerose only had eyes for each other. 

Despite reports of tension with his children following his divorce, Cyrus posted a photo with Firerose and his daughter Noah Cyrus after she announced her engagement to Pinkus.  

As for how Miley Cyrus feels about her father's romance with Firerose, a source close to the "Wrecking Ball" singer previously told E! News, "The divorce between her parents have put a strain on her relationship with her dad and it's been hard to connect with him in the last year. She hopes they can eventually work on their relationship."

The insider added that while Miley "doesn't have a relationship" with Firerose, "she, of course, hopes [Billy Ray] is happy."

 

The engaged couple teamed up with songwriter Diane Warren for the romantic ballad "Plans," which Cyrus described as "the story of our lives" on Instagram.

The tune finds Cyrus and Firerose singing "Have you got plans for forever?" together in the chorus, with the music video featuring the pair in wedding attire. 

The crooning couple made their official red carpet debut at the 16th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors on Aug. 23, in Nashville. After posing for photos, Cyrus and Firerose took the stage together to perform with Travis Denning during the show. 

Billy Ray and Firerose confirmed they tied the knot in October 2023 by sharing photos from their wedding day.

"10/10/23 will always be the beautiful, joyous day that our two souls united as one in holy matrimony," they wrote on Instagram. "It was the most perfect, ethereal celebration of love we could have ever imagined.For both of us to hear the preacher say, 'Billy Ray and Firerose Cyrus… I now pronounce you husband and wife' that was the sacred moment our new forever began. Long Live Love!"

Seven months later, Billy Ray officially filed for divorce from Firerose.

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