Miley Cyrus Recounts 2022 Panic Attack Amid Taylor Hawkins' Death and Plane Emergency

Miley Cyrus has opened up about a significant panic attack she experienced on stage in 2022, an event that occurred shortly after the death of her friend, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, and a 'terrifying' plane emergency.

During a conversation with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, the 33-year-old Grammy winner described having an "actual anxiety attack on stage" during a performance in Mexico. "I was saying to the crowd, 'I'm having an anxiety attack.' And they were like, 'Hell yeah, we're having anxiety attacks,'" Cyrus recalled.

She explained that the concert took place in the post-COVID period, and the rapid transition from limited social interaction to large crowds was jarring. "I guess it wasn't so much anxiety, as I realize now in hindsight; it was just a buildup of the cocktail of chaos, you could say. Living through a global pandemic like everyone else," Cyrus stated.

Taylor Hawkins, drummer and vocalist for the Foo Fighters, died at age 50 on March 25, 2022. An autopsy indicated he had ten different drugs in his system, including heroin, marijuana, and opioids, and suffered a cardiovascular collapse. Cyrus and Hawkins had become friends during the COVID-19 pandemic, living as neighbors.

Cyrus's recollection of the stage incident followed a period of personal turmoil. Shortly before Hawkins's death, she had traveled to Paraguay to perform at the Asuncionico Music Festival, where the Foo Fighters were also scheduled to appear. However, the plane she was traveling on was struck by lightning and forced to make an emergency landing. "After the 'super terrifying' plane emergency, she recalled that Hawkins had been the first person that she called." 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," Cyrus said.

Cyrus recently released her 10th studio album, "Bass Persaudes," on September 18. The album, which features 10 songs and a bonus track, reflects on her journey and newfound peace. "This album happened fast but that's been my life for 20 years," she wrote on Instagram. "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."

While the titular track "Bass Persaudes," released on September 3, initially fell out of Spotify's Global 200 chart, it reached number two on Apple's U.S. chart and number 41 on Apple Music's Global Top 100.

Cyrus is scheduled to perform at the Hollywood Bowl on October 16 and October 18 in support of her new album. She mentioned that a residency at the venue was her initial idea, and she now understands that audiences will come to her performances without her needing to travel extensively.