Miley Cyrus Said She Didn’t Like the Word ‘Wife’ Just Weeks Before Liam Hemsworth Split

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth announced that they are separating this weekend, leaving many fans confused. The celebrity couple has been beloved for almost a decade, so many fans went searching through their past for clues about their split. This included a recent interview where Cyrus admitted she hated the word “wife.”

Cyrus rolled her eyes at her new title of “wife” just last month, in an interview with Elle. At the time, the singer was promoting a new EP, an upcoming album and an appearance on Netflix’s Black Mirror, but of course she spared some time to talk about her relationship, too.

“I think it’s very confusing to people that I’m married. But my relationship is unique,” she told her interviewer. “And I don’t know that I would ever publicly allow people in there because it’s so complex, and modern, and new that I don’t think we’re in a place where people would get it.”

Cyrus added that she hopes her fans do not think she is sitting around “at home in a f– apron cooking dinner.” Nor did she want her identity as bisexual to be invalidated.

“I’m in a hetero relationship, but I still am very sexually attracted to women. People become vegetarian for health reasons, but bacon is still f– good, and I know that,” the 26-year-old said. “I made a partner decision. This is the person I feel has my back the most.”

“I definitely don’t fit into a stereotypical wife role. I don’t even like that word,” Cyrus added.

Cyrus even pointed out that this preference was pervasive in her work. With a background in country music, Cyrus has been steeped in traditional representations of gender roles for her whole life, and she has tried to eschew them where she can. As an example, she brought up one of her mother’s favorite songs, Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man.”

“Did she even realize what it’s saying? Like, he’s going to get drunk and cheat on you, and when he comes home, you stand by your man because at the end of the day, he loves you,” Cyrus explained. “He’s just a man. He just had to have sex so bad that he forgot about your feelings.”

Cyrus tried to put her own spin on this old concept with her own song “Never Be Me,” as she explained.

“If you’re looking for faithful, that’ll never be me. If you’re looking for stable, that’ll never be me. If you’re looking for someone that’ll be all that you need, that’s never going to be me,” she said.

Cyrus and Hemsworth were married in December afters years of on-again, off-again romance. Their separation was announced on Friday night, with representatives telling E! News that they need time apart.