Drummer Maxx Morando, former percussionist for punk group The Regrettes and current member of Liily, stepped into Cyrus’s creative orbit around 2021. Their relationship quickly expanded past routine studio sessions. Morando brought alternative garage-rock sensibilities that blended with Cyrus's desire for lean, melodic arrangements on her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation.
Morando earned co-writer and producer credits on tracks like "Handstand" and the pulsing dance-pop cut "Violet Chemistry." Rather than treating production as clean software programming, Morando introduced analog drum treatments, live hi-hat patterns, and raw guitar riffs. Cyrus frequently credits Morando with helping her embrace creative independence without external record label pressure.
Speculation around their partnership reached a peak in mid-2026 when Cyrus's mother, Tish Cyrus, dropped hints during podcast appearances suggesting the pair had quietly formalized their bond away from Hollywood cameras. The couple has kept their personal milestones low-key. Their work together marks a deliberate pivot: Morando acts as a modern musical foil who respects Cyrus's roots while nudging her rhythm sections into post-punk territory.
