Firerose Speaks Out After Billy Ray Cyrus Addresses Leaked Audio

Firerose is speaking out after a private conversation between her and estranged husband Billy Ray Cyrus in which he allegedly berated her was publicly leaked online.

“This week has been monumental in many ways and I’m so appreciative and thankful for the outpouring of support,” the 37-year-old singer-songwriter (previously known as Johanna Hodges) began her statement posted on Instagram on Friday, July 26. “There are so many great experts, books & resources on healing.”

The Australian performer wrote to her followers, “I promise there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep educating yourself.” She mentioned and tagged the Instagram account of Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist and best-selling author who writes and speaks about narcissistic abuse in relationships. Firerose’s statement also tagged Instagram accounts that focus on narcissism.

Firerose is in the process of divorcing the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer, 62. The former couple got married in October 2023.

In the leaked audio heard by PEOPLE, a man who sounds like Cyrus was arguing with Firerose about being late to an event, which a source told PEOPLE was a Nicki Minaj concert that Cyrus was invited to perform at in Tennessee.

“It’s 9:15, you idiot. I needed to leave two hours ago,” the man can be heard saying.

“No, you didn’t. You can still leave and get there in time,” Firerose replied. 

In the audio clip, which is approximately one minute and 30 seconds long, Cyrus told Firerose, “Shut the f— up,” and called her a “f—ing selfish bitch.”

“Please stop screaming at me,” Firerose said at one point during the conversation.

Cyrus released a statement addressing the leaked audio clip on Instagram on Wednesday, July 24.

“Hell yeah, I was at my wit’s end. As every day went by, I started realizing something was wrong. And that’s before I knew she was a fraud.” he said in a statement on his Instagram Stories and through his representative.

“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,” Cyrus continued.

The singer claimed “everything I thought I knew about her, was a lie” and alleged that Firerose “was trying to take over my career, my life and usurp the Cyrus name for her own gain.”

Cyrus’ attorneys Rose Palermo and Jason Talley of Cheatham Palermo and Garrett, who are representing the singer during his divorce, shared a statement on the matter with PEOPLE.

They referred to the leak as “an apparent last-ditch effort to squeeze money out of Mr. Cyrus.”

“Mr. Cyrus previously admitted in a court filing that he had been very vocally frustrated and angry with Ms. Hodges during their 7-month marriage as he began to uncover more and more of Ms. Hodges’ true motives for marrying him,” Palermo and Talley said.

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“With regards to this recording, Ms. Hodges is the person who made the recording without telling Mr. Cyrus that she was recording him. Of course, she was intentionally on her best behavior since she knew the recording was being made,” the attorneys added.

Cyrus filed for divorce from Firerose in May, citing irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct as the reason for divorce. The documents stated that Cyrus was also seeking an annulment on the grounds of fraud.