Miley Cyrus has responded to critics of her low singing voice.
Speaking to Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich for Interview Magazine, the 28-year-old shared that her rendition of the band's song Nothing Else Matters for the tribute album The Metallica Blacklist made her feel free.
"This song means something to me on the deepest level," the singer shared, noting that recording the cover from home emboldened her to experiment with her voice after years of professionals likening her tone to "sounding like a man".
"I even went down to some of those octaves, because singing those super-low lead vocals is so satisfying," Cyrus recalled. "My whole life, whether in vocal training or just continuing to hone my craft, it's always been about, 'Why do you sound like a man? Where's your f**king falsetto, b**ch? Why can't you sing the high octave of Party in the USA anymore?'"
The former Disney Channel star explained that the low register helped her achieve an "authentic" and "genuine" sound.
"My voice is how I represent myself," she continued. "It's how I express myself. I've worked with so many people who tell me, 'We're going to have to bring in a singer to hit those high parts.' You know, 'falsetto' is this Latin term for when a boy goes through puberty, but they still want him to sing in the choir. It means 'false.'"
However, Cyrus insisted no matter what register she's singing in, it's about what she feels in the moment.
"I say what I mean in the moment, even if that changes tomorrow. I was honoured by the fact that I didn't have to sing this song in the way that females are 'supposed' to sing. You can hear that at the end of the song, when I take the gloves off and just start flying. That part of the song really grabs people," the Wrecking Ball hitmaker added.
