Miley Cyrus Reveals She Performed Through a Ruptured Ovarian Cyst on New Year’s Eve: “It Was Extremely Excruciating”

The pop icon opens up about her hidden medical emergency during her 2023 NBC special, the wisdom that kept her from quitting music, and her upcoming album and film release.

Miley Cyrus Reveals the Pain Behind the Performance

On the surface, Miley Cyrus’ 2023 New Year’s Eve special was a night of glitz, powerhouse performances, and joyful reunions — not least her duets with godmother Dolly Parton. But behind the bright lights and bold vocals, Cyrus was silently enduring what she now calls a “pretty traumatic experience.”

In a candid conversation with Zane Lowe on The Zane Lowe Interview for Apple Music, Cyrus revealed she was suffering from a ruptured ovarian cyst during the live broadcast of Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party.

“I had a medical emergency,” Cyrus said. “I had an ovarian cyst rupture, which we didn’t know exactly what was going on… but it was extremely excruciating. And I did the show anyway, but it was really, really hard on me.”

Despite the intense pain, the pop star pressed on, maintaining a radiant stage presence as she and Parton performed emotional crowd favorites like Wrecking Ball, Jolene, and I Will Always Love You. Also appearing that night were music icons like Sia, David Byrne, and Paris Hilton, as well as Saturday Night Live cast members Chloe Fineman, Sarah Sherman, and Bowen Yang.

A Crisis Behind the Curtain and a Pivotal Conversation

For a time after the performance, Cyrus considered stepping away from music altogether — a career she’s sustained since childhood. It was a dinner conversation with SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels that shifted her perspective and helped her find her way forward.

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

By the time New Year’s rolled around, Cyrus said, “I was expired on my amount of time that I was able to shut down.” Michaels’ words reminded her that she wasn’t alone — that even the most celebrated artists face emotional and physical breaking points.

“You have no idea how many artists have sat in this chair and told me that they were quitting music,” he told her. “Everyone does this. Everyone has these traumatic experiences.”

Resilience, Renewal, and What’s Next

Despite the setback and soul-searching, Miley Cyrus didn’t walk away from her art. Instead, she leaned in. On May 30, she will release her highly anticipated ninth studio album, Something Beautiful, along with an accompanying film. The project promises to reflect her journey — one of pain, perseverance, and personal evolution.

Through it all, Cyrus has remained resilient and reflective, embracing not just the spotlight, but the quiet, painful moments that often define an artist’s true strength.

As she prepares to reintroduce herself to fans with new music and a cinematic experience, Miley Cyrus is not just celebrating another album — she’s honoring a moment of survival and the courage to keep creating.