Read Sinéad O'Connor's open letter to Miley Cyrus

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After Miley Cyrus recently cited the stark, intimate visuals of ‘Nothing Compares 2U’ as an influence on the video that sees her lick a sledgehammer, Sinéad O’Connor has responded with an open letter, warning the ‘Wrecking Ball’ singer not to allow herself to be, in her own words, “prostituted” by the music industry.

Written “in the spirit of motherliness and with love”, O’Connor warns Cyrus: “you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped, whether it’s the music business or yourself doing the pimping.”

“Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to be exploited”, she continues, “and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an empowerment of yourself or any other young women, for you to send across the message that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual appeal than your obvious talent.”

As well as encouraging Cyrus to send “healthier messages” to her peers and condemning the notion that “it is in any way ‘cool’ to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos” – which critics have been commenting on ever since her controversial VMA performance – O’Connor hits out at those around her. “Don’t think for a moment that any of them give a flying f–k about you”, she says: “They’re there for the money.. we’re there for the music.”

Read the full letter here. Miley Cyrus’ latest album, Bangerz, is out this week.

UPDATE: Cyrus has responded with a series of tweets, O’Connor has penned several more open letters and Amanda Palmer has got involved also.