The 32-year-old “Wrecking Ball” singer opens up about a vocal condition she calls a “blessing.”
In a candid interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Miley Cyrus revealed a chronic vocal condition that defines her sound but makes performing difficult.
Miley Cyrus attends the Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 5, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
Cyrus said she has Reinke’s edema. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it can cause hoarseness and a deeper voice, with severe cases sometimes requiring surgery. In her case, the condition developed alongside a polyp on her vocal cord, significantly shaping her tone.
“I have this very large, you know, polyp on my vocal chord that has given me a lot of the tone and texture that has made me who I am, but it’s extremely difficult to perform with because it’s like running a marathon with ankle weights on, ” she said.
She clarified that her distinctive voice is largely the result of her natural anatomy. Although smoking and partying in her early twenties may have worsened the condition, she said they weren’t the cause.
Despite the strain it causes, Cyrus said she refuses to remove the polyp. “I’m not willing to sever ever it because the chance of waking up from a surgery and not sounding like myself is a probability,” she added.
Though performing and even speaking can be challenging, Cyrus sees the condition as more than just a limitation. She called it a “blessing,” saying it has given her voice the tone and texture that helped define her as an artist.
