Miley Cyrus has recalled suffering an "actual anxiety attack" in front of a huge crowd after the death of close friend Taylor Hawkins and a terrifying emergency aboard her plane left her struggling to cope.

The 33-year-old singer described the 2022 episode during a new interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, following the release of her 10th studio album, Bass Persuades, on Friday (18.09.26).

Miley said the anxiety attack struck while she was performing in Mexico during a period in which she was adjusting to huge audiences again following the Covid pandemic and dealing with the death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor, who was 50 when he died.

Miley said: "I was saying to the crowd, 'I'm having an anxiety attack'. And they were like, 'Hell yeah, we're having anxiety attacks'."

She said returning to enormous live audiences after the restrictions imposed during the pandemic had contributed to what she experienced.

Miley added: "I guess it wasn't so much anxiety, as I realise now in hindsight; it was just a build-up of the cocktail of chaos, you could say. Living through a global pandemic like everyone else."

The episode came after a traumatic period for the Flowers singer involving Taylor, who died in Bogotá, Colombia, in March 2022 while Foo Fighters were touring South America.

Miley and Taylor had become friends and neighbours during the pandemic, and she told Zane that the pair were "in alignment" musically.

Shortly before his death, Miley had been travelling to Paraguay for the Asunciónico music festival, where both she and Foo Fighters were due to perform.

Her plane was struck by lightning during the journey and forced to make an emergency landing.

Miley described the incident as "super terrifying" and said Taylor was the first person she called afterwards.

She said: "He's like, 'Man, I'm here. It's raining, but like the show's going to be sick'. And the next day he was gone."

Miley subsequently paid tribute to Taylor during a performance in Brazil, dedicating her song Angels Like You to Taylor.

The singer has now returned to the spotlight with Bass Persuades, released on 18 September, continuing a career that began with her starring role as Miley Stewart in Disney Channel's Hannah Montana.

The series, which made Miley an international teenage star, followed a schoolgirl secretly living a second life as pop star Hannah Montana.

Miley subsequently moved firmly away from her Disney image with albums including Bangerz, which produced We Can't Stop and Wrecking Ball, before scoring one of the biggest hits of her career with Flowers in 2023.

Her latest album follows 2025's Something Beautiful and has arrived during another period of change in her life and career.

Miley is engaged to musician Maxx Morando, 27, and is preparing for two major performances at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on 16 and 18 October.

The shows will feature Model/Actriz and come amid huge demand to see Miley perform again, with recent reporting saying 1.5 million fans attempted to secure tickets.

Miley has continued to resist returning to the traditional lengthy touring schedule that characterised earlier stages of her career.

During her interview, Zane told her: "I think you would have to do a residency of 80 shows at the (Hollywood) Bowl to satisfy the level of demand."

Miley said that had been her first "idea".

She added: "This is the ultimate dress rehearsal. I've learned now through the queue that my calculations are correct, and people will come to me. I don't need to drive to you."

Zane said the Hollywood Bowl concerts appeared to be "proof of concept and potentially the beginning of something broader".

Miley also marked the arrival of Bass Persuades on Instagram, describing the record as a reflection on the speed of her life since her childhood career began.

She wrote: "This album happened fast but that's been my life for 20 years.

"Once I started wishing to land a role that would make LA my home it's been nonstop. This album is a reflection of everywhere I've been along the way and the peace that came with starting to slow it all down.

"Thank you for celebrating this release with me. It's a special record and it's bliss to share with you. Love always. (Red heart emoji.)"