From dad to daughter…
Noah Cyrus is gearing up for her biggest night yet at this year's Grammy Awards where she's nominated for best new artist. Noah sat down with her dad Billy Ray Cyrus — who was nominated for the same award in 1993 — for a Music's Biggest Night: The Best New Artists episode of Spotify's For the Record podcast as the dad of six shared advice for his youngest daughter.
"You were a horse rider, you rode horses and that was your thing. And then all of a sudden you started making music," Billy Ray, 59, said on the podcast. (PEOPLE has an exclusive sneak peek.) "And I go, 'She's serious about it!' And you started dedicating yourself to writing the best songs you could write and being the best musician you could be."
"And I'm sitting there going, 'That's my Noie! That's my Noie! Look at her! The dream is happening,'" he added.
Later in the episode — as the two chatted — Billy Ray reminded his 21-year-old daughter to "be original" and to "not be afraid to be yourself."
"You got to tune out the naysayers. You got to tune it out. Every thought is like a seed," he said. "And you just got to plant those positive seeds. It's the thoughts that I plant in my mind that will be the seeds to the fruit that will manifest in my garden. And remember, music changes everything."
"I think that's some really good advice because there's a lot of people that feel like it's not okay to be themselves or they think they have to be one thing because the internet shows that one thing is the right way," Noah responded. "But whenever I just play piano, it makes my hands feel happy. It makes my body feel happy, makes my soul feel happy… And I'm sure you feel the same way when you're just playing your guitar. It makes you feel good and safe and it brings you life when you do something that you love."
"That's exactly correct," Billy Ray responded.
Earlier in the episode, the country crooner had opened up about how much he struggled to succeed at the start of his career and how he was "living in his car" before he became successful.
"Remember, failure is the most important ingredient for success. Every time you fail, you eliminate one way that won't work, therefore, being one way closer to the one way that will," he said. "That's how you achieve your dreams."
Joining other best new artist nominees in participating in Spotify Singles x Best New Artist, Noah re-recorded her hit "July," as well as a cover of Bon Iver's "Re: Stacks," which are both out Thursday as well.
Later in the episode, Noah and Billy Ray opened up about the moment she received praise for her song "July" from John Mayer.
"We finally got to meet in person. And I said, I've listened to you since I was so young," Noah recalled. "And he said, '"July" is going to be a song you can sing now, 20 years from now, and 20 years from then, and it'll still be the same song. Keep making songs that you're going to want to sing for the rest of your life.' Man, it helped me so much, just with making my next EP. It did."
"I see you smiling right now," the "Achy Breaky Heart" crooner responded. "Happiness that you can't hide, man. And you're smiling. I love it. I thank him for doing that 'cause I know that that put a fire inside your soul when you needed to feel the light."
To end their conversation, Billy Ray ended with a strong piece of advice.
"Just sing what's in your heart. If it's sad, make it sad. If it's happy, make it happy. Whatever. But sing your truth," he said. "And I'll leave you with this: this ain't 'the end of everything' for you. This is the beginning."
On Sunday, Noah will be up against the likes of Ingrid Andress, Phoebe Bridgers, Chika, D Smoke, Doja Cat, Kaytranada and Megan Thee Stallion for the best new artist award that Billie Eilish won last year.
"Year after year, we feel like the best new artist category casts a really wide net for new talent and fresh sounds. And so for us supporting these artists, we know it's just the beginning of what's to come," Marian Dicus, Spotify's Global Co-Head of Music, tells PEOPLE. "That's why we get behind this category — to lend our support to emerging and developing talent, and to really be there from the very beginning and then support them through their careers."
Listen to Spotify: For the Record's episode with Noah and Billy Ray Cyrus now, only on Spotify.
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