Miley Cyrus has shared a heartfelt health update, revealing she’s been living with a rare medical condition that affects her voice.
In a recent interview, the ‘Flowers’ singer opened up about how this condition has shaped one of her most distinctive features, her signature raspy voice.
Gone is the polished, youthful tone from her Hannah Montana days. Over time, Miley’s voice has evolved into a deeper, textured sound that carries raw emotion, adding a rebellious edge to her rock-inspired songs and soulful depth to her ballads.
While fans have long admired her unique vocal style, few knew the medical reason behind it, until now.
Speaking candidly with Zane Lowe on Apple Music on May 21, Miley revealed she has Reinke’s edema, a rare condition where fluid builds up in the outer layer of the vocal cords.
“I have Reinke’s edema, which is caused by vocal cord abuse,” Miley explained. “Being 21, staying up late, drinking, smoking, and partying after shows didn’t help, but in my case, it’s not the cause. My voice has always sounded like this because of my unique anatomy.”
The 32-year-old singer shared how the condition has deeply affected her career, not just by shaping her sound but also by making live performances more difficult.
“Performing is extremely challenging,” she said. “It’s like running a marathon with ankle weights on.”
Miley also disclosed she has a large polyp on her vocal cords, which plays a big role in her distinct voice texture.
“I’m not willing to remove it because there’s a real risk I could wake up sounding different after surgery,” she said. “That polyp gives me a lot of the tone and texture that define who I am.”
Due to these vocal challenges, Miley tends to avoid long tours. Her mother, Tish Cyrus, can tell when Miley’s voice is strained.
“Sometimes at the end of the day, I’ll call my mom and she says, ‘You sound like you’re talking through a radio,’” Miley shared. “That’s how I know I’m really tired, it creates this intense vocal fry.”
Despite these hurdles, Miley continues to create and perform on her own terms. She’s set to release her ninth studio album, ‘Something Beautiful,’ on May 30, along with a companion film of the same name.
“That’s why I’m making this film, it’s my way of touring,” she said. “I want people to feel like they’re part of the performance, even if they’re not at a live show.”
