Miley Cyrus doesn’t hate kids. She’s just never wanted any—and she’s done pretending that’s confusing. In a new interview with The New York Times, the singer laid it out plainly:
“I’ve never felt the burn. And for me, the burn is everything.”
That “burn,” as she puts it, is the kind of passion she applies to her art, her independence, and her love for her mother. If it’s not there, she’s not faking it.
While plenty of celebrities dance around the subject, Miley didn’t hedge. She wasn’t vague, quirky, or cagey. She was honest—and somehow that’s still shocking.
Miley Cyrus Has No Makeup Line, No Baby—and No Regrets
During the interview, Miley compared motherhood to something else she’s never been into: makeup lines. Her stepdad asked her why she’s one of the only celebrities without one. Her answer?
“Because I’m not passionate about it.”
The same goes for parenting. Why have kids if the fire’s not there?
“It’s a lot of responsibility and devotion and energy,” she said, “and if you’re not passionate about that, I don’t know how you do sleepless nights and 18 years of what my mom dealt with.” (Correction: 33 years, she joked. “I’m still a baby.”)
This is where Miley shines: she’s not rejecting motherhood out of bitterness, but from a place of self-awareness. She knows the kind of love she got from her mom, Tish Cyrus. And she respects it too much to half-ass it.
Her Fans Are Her Kids. Just Ask Dolly.
Miley has floated the idea before—that her fans are her family. She’s also not alone. Her godmother, Dolly Parton, famously never had children, and Miley points to her as a model for living with joy and integrity.
“More than the way that she looks or the way that she performs, I admired her staying true to herself,” Miley said.
That’s the blueprint: a full life, no compromises.
There’s a kind of maternal devotion in Miley’s art, her protectiveness over her mom, and her connection to fans. But it’s not about diapers or daycare. It’s about love that’s chosen—not assigned.
See also: Is Parenting Hell? Chappell Roan Thinks So — Here’s What the Research Says
Why Do We Still Expect Every Woman to Want a Baby?
The backlash to these statements is predictable. The myth of inevitable maternal desire runs deep—especially for women who are successful, partnered, and seem like they’d be great moms. But Miley isn’t interested in playing into those projections.
She’s not saying women shouldn’t have children. She’s saying she doesn’t want to. That’s it. No crisis. No controversy. Just a woman who knows what she’s built, what she values, and what she doesn’t need.
If the culture’s still uncomfortable with that, maybe it’s not Miley who needs to evolve.
See also: It’s Official: Taylor Swift Now Owns All Her Music—And She Took It Back on Her Terms
