Miley Cyrus explains the medical condition behind her raspy voice

Miley Cyrus is committed to her unique sound.

In a recent interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, she discussed her vocal condition. She has Reinke’s edema, which affects the vocal cords. The Cleveland Clinic describes it as a noncancerous disorder. Symptoms include hoarseness and a deeper voice.

Cyrus refers to her condition as “abuse of the vocal cords.” She explained that partying in her early career didn’t help. However, she believes it didn’t cause her condition. “My voice always sounded like this,” she said.

At 32, the "Flowers" singer does not want treatment for fear of losing her sound. She has a large polyp on her vocal cords. “I’m not willing to sever it ever,” she stated. Surgery could change how she sounds.

Cyrus finds performing challenging due to the polyp. She compared it to “running a marathon with ankle weights on.” Touring is also difficult for her. “I don’t lip-sync,” she emphasized, adding that she sings live and writes big songs.