Miley Cyrus has opened up about her former feud with Sinéad O’Connor, before dedicating a song to the late Irish singer.
The legendary Irish singer, who shot to fame in the 90s for her cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares 2 U, passed away in July at the age of 56.
Back in 2013, Sinéad got into a public row with Miley after the pop star told Rolling Stone that her video for Wrecking Ball was inspired by Sinéad’s Nothing Compares 2 U video.
In response to Miley’s statement, Sinéad penned an open letter to the young singer, warning her of the dangers of the music industry and how “nothing but harm will come in the long run from allowing yourself to be exploited”.
In the letter, which was published on her website, the Irish singer wrote: “I am extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you to believe, or encouraged you in your own belief, that it is in any way ‘cool’ to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos. ”
Miley didn’t react well to the letter, and compared Sinéad to Amanda Bynes on social media at the time, following the actress’ public breakdown in 2013.
Sinéad later demanded an apology from Miley for mocking her battle with mental illness.
Miley later downplayed their feud, insisting she was still a “big fan” of the Irish songstress.
In recent years, Miley has also shown her appreciation for Sinéad on stage, and performed a stunning mashup of Wrecking Ball and Nothing Compares 2 U at a concert last year.
During her new ABC special titled Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions), which aired in the US on Thursday night, the 30-year-old addressed the drama between her and Sinéad.
Reflecting on her career, Miley brought up the time she released Wrecking Ball in 2013.
“So at the time when I made Wrecking Ball, I was expecting for there to be controversy and backlash, but I don’t think I expected other women to put me down or turn on me, especially women that had been in my position before,” she said.
“So this is when I had received an open letter from Sinéad O’Connor, and I had no idea about the fragile mental state that she was in. And I was also only 20 years old. So I could really only wrap my head around mental illness so much. And all that I saw was that another woman had told me that this idea was not my idea.
“And even if I was convinced that it was, it was still just, you know, men in power’s idea of me. And they had manipulated me to believe that it was my own idea when it never really was. And it was. And it is. And I still love it,” she continued.
Esperaba que hubiera controversia y reacciones negativas, pero no esperaba que otras mujeres me menospreciaran o se volvieran contra mí, especialmente mujeres que han estado en mi posición antes. -Miley sobre la situación con Sinead O’Connor hace 10 años- pic.twitter.com/jxCc1gD6s7
— Miley Cyrus Noticias (@NoticiasSmilers) August 25, 2023
“And I think I had just been judged for so long for my own choices that I was just exhausted. And I was in this place where I finally was making my own choices and my own decisions. And to have that taken away from me deeply upset me.”
“God bless Sinéad O’Connor for real, in all seriousness,” Miley added.
The 30-year-old was then shown walking up to a microphone as a message read, “Dedicated to Sinéad O’Connor.”
She then performed Wonder Woman from her latest album Endless Summer Vacation in honour of Sinéad.
