Dolly Parton (my queen) and Miley Cyrus (also my queen) may have way more in common than we’ve ever realized, besides the fact that they’re pop-country superstar fashion icons who are also related. TikTok thinks Dolly Parton is the “real” Hannah Montana, and the argument is so compelling that I absolutely have to believe it.
“Dolly Parton did an interview where she states all of her big blonde hairdos are just wigs, and she wears blonde wigs, and so when she goes out in public with her natural hair nobody will recognize her,” user @ceoofhotmoms explained in her Nov. 30th TikTok.
Another user commented, “I live outside of Sevierville, her hometown, and it’s well known around here that if you see her you won’t know until you make her laugh. Just FYI.”
So basically, Dolly Parton is able to live a normal life while being the international icon that she is all because of a blonde wig and some glam. Does that sound familiar to anyone else?
This leads me to my next question: Is Dolly Parton actually the real Hannah Montana? Let’s take a closer look.
The Parallels
Parton has made recurring guest appearances on Hannah Montana as Miley Stewart’s godmother, AKA Aunt Dolly. Parton has even credited Cyrus for widening her fanbase.
“I’m famous now ‘cause I’m Hannah Montana’s Aunt Dolly,” Parton told Vanity Fair in a 2020 interview. “Little kids just see me in the street and just point – ‘Aunt Dolly!’ or ‘Hi, Aunt Dolly!” – and it’s just been so cute.”
It’s clear that their relationship on the show is based on their bond in real life, as Cyrus, who often refers to Parton as “Aunt Dolly” or her “fairy godmother” in interviews, is Parton’s actual goddaughter.
But how does Hannah’s life mirror Parton’s?
Incognito Mode
In the show, Miley jumps through some crazy hoops to keep her double-life a secret. She swaps limos as she leaves concerts to keep the paparazzi from following her home, and her dad, brother, and best friends have to wear disguises when they hang around Hannah to prevent anyone from drawing any connection to Miley. It’s no wonder she was so chaotic on the show (it’s also no wonder I wanted to be her friend so badly).
Parton also likes to keep her private life separate from her public one. After 54 years of marriage, Parton and her husband Carl Dean have rarely been photographed or interviewed together. The two eloped at a church in Ringgold, Georgia in 1966, with only Parton’s mom and the preacher and his wife as witnesses. Her record label, Monument, was worried that Parton’s marriage would get in the way of her music career, but she ignored their warnings and decided to get hitched anyway (like I said, a queen). Their private relationship has even led to a popular theory that her husband doesn’t actually exist. Spoiler alert: He does.
The Glam
Ah, yes. The time has come to talk about one of my favorite subjects ever: the sparkly, gaudy, iconic pop-country looks that both Parton and Hannah flaunt in every public appearance ever.
First, let’s start with the unmistakeable blonde wigs. Of course, Miley could not be Hannah Montana without the streaky blonde wig that inspired tween girls everywhere to beg their moms to let them get bangs for four seasons. Somehow, nobody on the show ever put together that beneath the blonde Hannah wig was the brunette Miley Stewart. This wig-wearing tactic seems to work for Parton in real life as well.
Unlike Hannah, Parton has spoken openly about her wigs. “I don’t always wear them in my daily life, but I always still pouf up my hair. I still like to have that flashy hair,” Parton told Elle last October. “When I’m around home, I wear my little scrunchies, but I always put on some makeup and fix my own hair as cute as I can fix it.”
Now, close your eyes and imagine Dolly Parton in a scrunchie. I don’t know about you, but my imagination won’t let me unlock that image. And that’s exactly the point. The blonde wig and sequins allows Parton to truly live out “the best of both worlds” that Hannah Montana was singing about.
Next, let’s talk about the outfits. Hannah and Parton consistently deliver country glam realness that is hard to find anywhere else. Studded blue jeans, cowboy boots, cropped tops and bold prints heavily define some of their most iconic looks.
Are Hannah Montana’s looks inspired by Dolly Parton? Swipe through to compare similar looks. 
Animal Instinct: Dolly Parton has never shied away from leopard print pieces. Could this be where Hannah Montana got her zebra print inspo from? 
Jean Queens 
Petition to bring back all-over pink sequins looks, please. 
Drip or Drown: Icy icons in blue sequins looks.
The Songs
It’s no secret that most country and pop songs share similar recurring themes – love, nostalgia, patriotism, and reflections of the past – but there are a few specific lyrical connections that exist in both Dolly Parton’s and Hannah Montana’s music.
“Just Because I’m a Woman” by Dolly Parton and “Nobody’s Perfect” by Hannah Montana
Parton: “Yes, I’ve made my mistakes / But listen and understand / My mistakes are no worse than yours / Just because I’m a woman”
Montana: “Everybody makes mistakes / Everybody has those days / Everybody knows what I’m talkin’ bout / Everybody gets that way”
“Something Special” by Dolly Parton and “He Could Be the One” by Hannah Montana
Parton: “Yes, you are something special, yes indeed / Yes, you are something special to me / You’re the wind ‘neath my wings / Like the song that they sing”
Montana: “He’s got somethin’ special / He’s got somethin’ special / And when he’s lookin’ at me / I wanna get all sentimental”
“Forever Love” by Dolly Parton and “I’ll Always Remember You” by Hannah Montana
Parton: “You wrote the book, each page and each chapter / You are my poetry, story and song / Each moment I try to capture / All of the magic that you bring along”
Montana: “Another chapter in the book can’t go back but you can look / And there we are on every page / Memories that I’ll always save”
Verdict
The parallels are undeniable, but does that mean that Hannah Montana was based on Dolly Parton’s life? In reality, probably not. After all, it was Cyrus’s idea to get Parton on the show. But in my heart, the theory lives on.
kiki 