Vocal Training News
Miley Cyrus Got Sober After Vocal Surgery andNow Her Voice is also Lower In Tone
Miley Cyrus Vocal Surgery Story
by KRISTIN SALAKY – Sep 3, 2020
Miley Cyrus underwent vocal cord surgery after being hospitalized for tonsillitis , but doctors discovered another problem during her stay.
Miley Cyrus shared her decision to get sober a few months back, but now she’s speaking out again and explaining how vocal surgery caused her to want to stop drinking and smoking.
In a recent interview on The Joe Rogan Experience, Miley said that vocal surgery that she had last year “was a gift because I was able to understand my instrument.” She had surgery after being diagnosed with Reinke’s edema, which is a swelling of the vocal folds that can be caused, in part, by overuse of the voice and by smoking.
Miley said after 15 years of touring on and off, her voice was affected, not necessarily by the singing, but rather what happens after the show. She said that “afterwards, you’re totally on and then it’s really hard to get that sleep. You stay up, talking all night. Later, the talking all night turned into smoking all night. And now, this is kinda where we’re at.”
When she got the surgery, Miley said she learned more about how to obtain more longevity in her voice, which included off days, vocal rest, and, for her, getting sober. She said she wants to be able to sing for many more years to come.
“I don’t smoke anymore and I’m sober,” she said: “The vocal surgery kind of did it for me because I just learned so much about the effects, which again, you’re just not taught. It’s not really the drinking, it’s staying up all night. Once you have your drink, you end up smoking.”
After training hundreds of vocalists, I have concluded that voice problems like Vocal Nodules can be avoided by learning and applying the fundamentals of vocal support and natural delivery techniques
Contact me below for FREE VOICE EVALUATION
I am Jonathan Morgan Jenkins. I started coaching individuals and groups of singers in 1992 and have coached hundreds of singers and public speakers. Through the years, I have seen a disturbing trend of celebrity singers who have endured some form of surgery on their larynx, mostly vocal nodules. At the same time, I did not see this trend in Classical and Musical Theater singers. Why was this? It had to be poor technique. While I was searching for ways to train my own limited vocal instrument, I discovered techniques that can create a healthy and powerful voice. My favorite moment is when a new students voice begins to come alive at the 1st lesson.
Vocal Nodules
Vocal Nodule symptoms include:
- Hoarseness
- Breathiness
- A “rough” voice
- A “scratchy” voice
- A harsh-sounding voice
- Shooting pain from ear to ear
- Feeling like you have a “lump in your throat”
- Neck pain
- Less ability to change your pitch voice
Vocal abuse can occur from:
- Allergies
- Smoking
- Tense muscles
- Singing Incorrectly
- Coaching Sports
- Cheerleading
- Talking Loudly
- Sore Throat not treated
- Drinking caffeine and alcohol, which dries out the throat and vocal folds
Treatments for Vocal Fold Nodules
Treatment depends on what caused the nodules, how big they are, and what problems you have. You may require surgery to remove the nodules. This is usually done only when they are large or have been there for a long time. Children do not usually have surgery.
Prevention
Prevention involves proper coaching techniques that apply to all vocalists. After coaching hundreds of vocalists, I have discovered that the main problem is the initial techniques involving proper breathing and vocal support. The FUEL of the Voice is air. If that air is not of a sufficient quantity and it is not delivered to the larynx under proper pressure, the larynx becomes tight, stressed and unable to deliver sound in a free and powerful manner. This continued stress on the Larnyx can produce pain and eventually Vocal Nodules
Vocal Coaching
At Your Voice Is Your Life, I offer all vocalists a Free Vocal Review to determine the best individual vocal training approach for each student. I offer a 3 month intensive of weekly 1 hour coaching sessions in studio and virtual that are normally sufficient to coach a vocalist to produce sound in a healthy and powerful manner without creating vocal cord damage.