Miley Cyrus explains the medical condition behind her raspy voice
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Miley Cyrus embraces her raspy voice, revealing she won’t undergo surgery for fear of losing her unique sound.
The singer embraces her raspy voice and refuses surgery, saying it’s part of what makes her unique.
Miley Cyrus is known for her powerhouse vocals and instantly recognizable raspy tone—but that distinct sound comes with its own set of challenges. In a candid interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, the Grammy-nominated artist opened up about a long-standing vocal condition that she says has both defined her voice and tested her endurance as a performer.
The 32-year-old “Flowers” singer revealed that she lives with Reinke’s edema, a noncancerous vocal cord disorder. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the condition causes swelling of the vocal cords, often resulting in a hoarse or deeper-than-average voice. Cyrus, whose gravelly tone has become a signature element of her music, says she’s had this condition for much of her life—and that it’s not going anywhere.
She described the diagnosis bluntly: “It’s abuse of the vocal cords,” she told Lowe. But while the disorder is sometimes associated with habits like smoking and heavy voice use, Cyrus clarified that her case isn’t that straightforward. “Being 21 and staying up and drinking and smoking and partying after every show does not help,” she admitted, referencing her early career. “But also in my case, it does not cause it. So my voice always sounded like this — it’s a part of my unique anatomy.”
Rather than seeking treatment to correct it, Cyrus says she’s made peace with the condition—and even values it. She explained that she has a large polyp on her vocal cords, and though surgery is an option, she refuses to consider it.
“I’m not willing to sever it ever, because the chance of waking up from a surgery and not sounding like myself is a probability,” Cyrus said. “I’m not willing to gamble that.”
For Cyrus, her voice is not just a tool—it’s part of her identity. Over the years, it has helped her stand out in a crowded pop landscape, giving songs like “Wrecking Ball,” “Midnight Sky,” and “Used to Be Young” their emotional edge. The texture of her voice conveys grit, vulnerability, and power all at once, and it’s something her fans have grown to love.
But living with a vocal disorder isn’t easy—especially when your job depends on using your voice at full capacity night after night. Cyrus compared performing with the polyp to “running a marathon with ankle weights on,” explaining that it can make live performances particularly grueling.
That difficulty becomes even more pronounced during tour seasons. Cyrus emphasized that she sings all her songs live, never relying on lip-syncing to make it through a show. “I don’t lip-sync. I sing live, and these songs are big,” she said. “I don’t write little songs.”
Her commitment to authenticity in performance—both musically and emotionally—has long been a defining feature of her career. Even as she’s matured from her Disney Channel days into a genre-defying artist and style icon, Cyrus has remained fiercely true to herself, unafraid to speak openly about the physical and emotional tolls of her profession.
Fans and fellow artists have praised her resilience and honesty, particularly as she continues to challenge conventional expectations in the music industry. At a time when vocal perfection is often prioritized over uniqueness, Cyrus’s decision to embrace her imperfections rather than “fix” them feels especially radical.
For now, the singer is focused on continuing to evolve musically, while staying true to the voice—both literally and figuratively—that has carried her through more than two decades in the spotlight. Whether in a studio, on a stage, or in interviews like this one, Cyrus reminds us that authenticity isn’t just a brand—it’s a choice.
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