A cushion-cut diamond gleamed under the lights at the Avatar: Fire and Ash world premiere on December 1, 2025, sparking instant buzz as Miley Cyrus stepped onto the Dolby Theatre red carpet. The singer wore a strapless black Gucci gown, her left hand flashing an estimated four-carat engagement ring in thick 14-karat yellow gold, confirming months of fan speculation about her romance with musician Maxx Morando, drummer for the rock band Liily.
Los Angeles jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche, known for pieces worn by stars like Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift, created the custom ring. Its elongated cushion-cut diamond sits in an east-west setting on a distinctive bombe-shaped 14-karat yellow gold band, described by experts as a modern, rock-and-roll take on bridal style that aligns with 2025 trends.
Cyrus Breaks Silence on Good Morning America
On December 3, 2025, Cyrus discussed the engagement in an exclusive Good Morning America interview with ABC News’ Chris Connelly. “I am not easy to surprise, because I love to control every situation. And I had completely surrendered,” she said, describing her joy at the unexpected moment.
Cyrus revealed Morando proposed during a trip to Japan, a country she had deliberately avoided visiting until then. “I actually had never gone to Japan, which I did for that purposefully. I wanted one place in the world that could be the special place that I saved for me,” she shared.
The couple has been together for four years, a period Cyrus credits with her significant personal growth. “Max and I 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 GMA. She emphasized Morando’s role as “a great partner” who “always tells you you can do it,” providing essential emotional support.
A Love Story Built on Growth
Cyrus and Morando, 27, connected on a blind date in late 2021, going public in April 2022 with photos of them kissing in West Hollywood. “We got put on a blind date. Well, it was blind for me and not really for him,” she recalled in a 2023 British Vogue interview.
Born in Los Angeles, Morando rose in the rock scene drumming for The Regrettes on their 2017 debut album Feel Your Feelings Fool! He now plays with Liily, an experimental rock band noted for its unconventional rhythms and high-energy shows.
Their partnership extends to music. Morando produced “Handstand” and co-produced “Violet Chemistry” on Cyrus’s 2023 album Endless Summer Vacation. He contributed to production and songwriting on her recent release Something Beautiful, blending their artistic visions.
A six-year age difference poses no issue. In a November 2024 Harper’s Bazaar interview, Cyrus explained they “just don’t take life too seriously,” with Morando offering a fresh outlook that balances their dynamic. They began living together in March 2024. Insiders noted Cyrus seemed “very happy,” “more calm and harmonious,” reflecting her changes over recent years.
Moving Forward After Heartbreak
After an eight-month marriage to Liam Hemsworth ended in divorce in 2019—following a decade-long on-off relationship—Cyrus had doubted remarriage. Sources told Us Weekly that Morando changed her view entirely. In a September 2025 interview, she pinpointed the 2019 Glastonbury festival as the breaking point: “The day of the concert was the moment I decided that being in that relationship was no longer feasible for my life.”
Despite the split, Cyrus holds no regrets. “I wouldn’t want to erase my narrative or have it erased. An interesting life leads to compelling storytelling,” she said in 2023 British Vogue. Hemsworth, who met Cyrus on the 2009 set of The Last Song, now dates model Gabriella Brooks, going Instagram official in 2021 and keeping a low profile.
A New Chapter Aligned With Art
Cyrus tied her engagement to her Avatar involvement, contributing “Dream As One” to the Fire and Ash soundtrack. “My life has been perfectly aligned with the release of Avatar, my personal life—those two things kind of, I guess you could say, marrying each other and harmonizing with one another,” she told GMA. She described the film’s core as “relationships, love, having each other’s back,” mirroring her own journey.
Looking ahead, Cyrus and Morando, who thrive creating music at home, face no public wedding details yet. Sources say she is thrilled, building on a foundation of shared growth and harmony that signals lasting stability amid Hollywood’s evolving relationship landscape. The engagement highlights 2025 shifts toward celebrity couples in creative fields, valuing partners who grasp entertainment demands, privacy, and mutual artistry.
Sources:
Good Morning America interview with Miley Cyrus, December 3, 2025
People Magazine exclusive interview and engagement coverage, December 2025
ABC News coverage of Miley Cyrus and Maxx Morando engagement, December 2025
British Vogue interview with Miley Cyrus, 2023
Harper’s Bazaar interview with Miley Cyrus, November 2024
Us Weekly reporting on Miley Cyrus and Maxx Morando relationship, 2025