Miley Cyrus has revealed that a significant vocal cord polyp is the secret behind her iconic raspy tone, but admitted the condition makes performing feel like “running a marathon with ankle weights,” per musicradar.com.
Speaking with Zane Lowe on Apple Music ahead of her 2025 album and film Something Beautiful, the Grammy-winning artiste got candid about the physical toll of her career. While her distinctive voice is celebrated globally, Cyrus explained it is the result of Reinke’s Edema, a condition caused by vocal cord inflammation.
“My voice always sounded like this,” Cyrus noted, dismissing the idea that her signature grit was solely due to a party-heavy lifestyle. “It’s a part of my unique anatomy. I have this very large polyp which has given me the tone and texture that made me who I am, but it’s extremely difficult to perform with.”
Despite the strain, which Cyrus cites as a primary reason for her retreat from major touring, she has no plans to go under the knife. The singer expressed a deep-seated fear that surgery could permanently alter her sound.
“I’m not willing to sever it,” she confirmed. “The chance of waking up from surgery and not sounding like myself is a probability.”
The interview also touched on the inspiration behind Something Beautiful, which Cyrus describes as a blend of “sound healing” and “pop music.” The project aims to marry traditional healing instruments, like ancient gongs, with psychedelic electronic dance and “bassy bliss.”
Discussing her longevity in the industry, Cyrus credited her mentors, Dolly Parton and Stevie Nicks, for their ability to stay relevant by embracing new talent. Pointing to Parton’s recent collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter, Cyrus urged veteran artistes to keep their ears open. “That’s what legends do,” she said. “They keep up.”
Cyrus recently gave fans a taste of the new era with an acoustic performance of the track “More to Lose” on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
•Featured image: Miley Cyrus/Vijat Mohindra/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
