Revealed: Miley Cyrus' Brutal Response to Furious Backlash Over Her Sinéad O'Connor Tribute During 'SNL' 50th Anniversary Show
Cyrus clapped back at criticism for singing an O'Connor song.
Feb. 18 2025, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Miley Cyrus couldn't care less about some negative fan reaction to her homage to Sinead O’Connor at the big celebration for Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Wrecking Ball singer covered the late Irish songstresses version of "Nothing Compares 2 U", years after the two stars were wrapped up in a bitter feud.
Cyrus performed the song as part of SNL's 50th anniversary celebration
Cyrus, 32, sang the song fully aware of how it could come off, one insider said, and welcomed the contention.
The source told DailyMail.com: "(Miley) is aware of the backlash and she knew going into this that it would cause some people to get offended. It is actually quite comical to her."
O'Connor was famously banned for life from SNL after her infamous appearance in 1992, when she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II to protest child sexual abuses in the Catholic Church.
While the controversy seems to have subsided, Cyrus' performance rekindled the flames from religious advocates – just as she had hoped.
The insider continued: "'Miley will never apologize for something that she owes no apology for. So, as usual, Miley is going to let this chatter bounce off her.
"She believes that she delivered a beautiful performance of song. She really has no time to dwell on a performance that is over."
Cyrus' song choice startled many considering her feud with O'Connor, who died of natural causes in July 2023 at the age of 56.
A decade earlier, the two had a very public feud after Cyrus tried to honor "The Emperor's New Clothes" singer saying she hoped her nude video for "Wrecking Ball" would actually serve as an updated version of O'Connor's iconic video for her 1990 mega-hit, "Nothing Compares 2 U."
However, O'Connor's reaction was not one Cyrus was expecting.
The Grammy winner responded to the attention from Miley, informing her in an open letter: "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.
The music business... will prostitute you for all you are worth, and cleverly make you think its what YOU wanted."
O'Connor famously tore to shreds a photo of then Pope John Paul II
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Cyrus shot back with a vicious tweet that included a backhanded slam to fellow starlet Amanda Bynes — who had just been formally diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
That led to a lengthy diatribe from O'Connor, who wrote in an open letter: "Miley… Really? Who the f--- is advising you? Because taking me on is even more f---in’ stupid than behaving like a prostitute and calling it feminism."
"Remove your tweets immediately, or you will hear from my lawyers. I am certain you will be hearing from all manner of mental health advocacy groups also. It is not acceptable to mock any person for having suffered.
O'Connor continued by calling Cyrus the "anti-female" of the music industry and "a danger to women."
The singer slammed: "I am staggered that any 20 yr old woman of the 21st century could behave in such a dangerous and irresponsible manner as to not only send the signal to young women that its ok to act like prostitutes but also to the signal that those who have suffered or do suffer mental health problems are to be mocked and have their opinions invalidated."
The feud seemed to settle down over the years, and shortly after O'Connor's death, shared in her concert special Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions): "I was expecting there to be controversy and backlash" to the "Wrecking Ball" video, "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 went on to dedicate a song to O'Connor, and paused for a moment of silence for her.
