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Miley Cyrus reveals 'excruciating' and 'traumatic' health scare she kept secret

The "Flowers" singer had a 'medical emergency'

Jenni McKnight
US Lifestyle Editor
May 22, 2025
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Miley Cyrus has revealed that she suffered a "medical emergency" that left her in "excruciating" pain.

The 32-year-old said she had a "traumatic experience" while co-hosting "Miley's New Year's Eve Party" with her godmother, Dolly Parton, to ring in 2023.

"I had a pretty traumatic experience on a show that I was doing with [SNL boss] Lorne [Michaels] when I was doing my New Year's show," the "Flowers" singer said on The Zane Lowe Show, Wednesday.

Unbeknownst to Miley at the time, an ovarian cyst had ruptured and was causing her "extreme" pain, but she continued with the show anyway.

miley cyrus and dolly parton performing together on stage© Vijat Mohindra/NBC via Getty Ima
Miley had a ruptured ovarian cyst while performing with Dolly Parton

"I had a medical emergency. I had an ovarian cyst rupture. We didn't know exactly what was going on, so we did it," she explained.

"It was pretty traumatic because it was extremely excruciating, and I did the show anyway," she added. "But it was really, really hard on me."

According to Johns Hopkins, ovarian cysts are "common" and "typically harmless," but in some cases, a cyst can rupture and cause abdominal pain, bleeding, severe nausea, and dizziness, which would require emergency medical attention.

miley cyrus on stage© Vijat Mohindra/NBC via Getty Ima
Miley continued to perform despite her 'medical emergency'

Miley admitted that her health scare made her consider "quitting music".

"I had dinner with Lorne, and he said something that now has stuck with me," she said. "He goes, 'Six months. Everybody has six months to feel sorry for themselves, and then we start to rebuild.'"

She continued: "He's like, 'You have no idea how many artists have sat in this chair and told me they were quitting music. Everyone does this, everyone has these traumatic experiences.'"

Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus perform at the Pyramid Stage during day five of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 30, 2019© WireImage
Miley considered quitting music after her health crisis

Sobriety

During the interview, Miley also spoke about her sobriety after giving up marijuana and alcohol.

"I've learned this about myself over the years," she said. "The sobriety is like, that's like my God. I need it, I live for it. I mean that it's changed my entire life."

During the 2020 lockdown, Miley admitted she began drinking again for a short time before quitting for good. "I know I needed to fall one more time," she explained. 

Miley Cyrus attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)© Getty Images for The Recording A
Miley has been sober for years

"I just, I had to. It just never would have happened this way. I just never would have been sitting here. There were times in that section... I'm not proud of them. 

"Definitely not my best moments, not some of my best work, any of that. But it all led me to writing Flowers, which then was some sort of key right into the lock of all healing. It healed me so much."

Miley revealed in an interview with Zane in November 2020 that she quit drinking because she wasn't "a moderation person".

Miley Cyrus is seen on May 6, 2025 in New York City in a leather mini skirt, white tank top and leather jacket© GC Images
Miley is not 'a moderation person'

"I don't think that everyone has to be sober; everyone has to do what's best for them," she said. 

"I don't have a problem with drinking; I have a problem with the decisions I make once I go past [a certain] level.... I've just been wanting to wake up 100 percent, 100 percent of the time."

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