Miley Cyrus talks embracing the low notes after vocal criticism

Miley Cyrus’ cover of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” actually mattered quite a lot to her.

In a new piece for Interview magazine, the singer tells Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich that she appreciated being able to sing the song — which appeared on this year’s Metallica Blacklist tribute album — in her true voice.

“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****** falsetto, b****? Why can’t you sing the high octave of “Party in the U.S.A.” anymore?’” Miley says.

“In this song, I get to sing in that low register, and I get to live in that authentic, genuine sound,” she adds.

Miley points out that her voice is how she expresses herself and she’s not about to sing in a way that is “false” just to fit a mold.

“I was honored by the fact that I didn’t have to sing this song in the way that females are ‘supposed’ to sing.” she says. “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. It’s that lower register of my voice. So I’m grateful to have a song where I can lean into that.”