Miley Cyrus opens up about medical condition that affects her vocal cords

Miley Cyrus continues to prove her authenticity. This time, opening up about her medical condition, which affects her voice and her singing. The musician, who is making fans excited with the release of her new album, shared details about her health during a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe.

The 32-year-old fan-favorite musician talked about the medical condition behind her instantly recognizable raspy voice: Reinke’s edema, a rare and chronic vocal cord disorder that has accompanied her throughout her career. 

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“I have the Reinke’s edema, which is something that is called, it’s abuse of the vocal cords,” she explained. “And being 21 and staying up and drinking and smoking and partying after every show does not help. 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.”

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Reinke’s edema, often seen in long-term smokers and those with chronic vocal strain, causes fluid to build in the outer layer of the vocal cords, resulting in a voice that’s naturally deeper, and emotionally textured.

While this is part of her unique voice, the medical condition makes her performance difficult. “It’s extremely difficult to perform with,” she said. “Because it’s like running a marathon with ankle weights on.”

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Miley also revealed she has a large polyp on one of her vocal cords, but she has no intention of removing it. “I’m not willing to sever it ever,” she said. “Because the chance of waking up from a surgery and not sounding like myself is a probability.”

Despite living with the condition, she continues to give her best. “I don’t lip sync. I sing live. And these songs are big,” she said. “I don’t write little songs," referring to End of the World' and 'More to Lose,' from her new album 'Something Beautiful.'

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Miley went on to mention the songs from her discography that were difficult to record. “Even if you listen to the past albums, like Party in the U.S.A., maybe, if you’re in the audience and you’re singing along, it’s one thing. But when you’ve got the mic and you’re performing, it’s totally different.”

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The singer explained that she decided to give fans a cinematic experience, instead of touring.  “That’s why I want to create this film,” she shared, referencing the album’s companion movie. “The film is my way of touring. That’s why I’m putting it into theaters. It’s something you can watch night after night, and you get to feel like you’re a part of a performance.”