Sinead O'Connor warns Miley Cyrus: 'They will prostitute you for all you are worth'

Comparisons have been made between "Nothing Compares 2 U" and "Wrecking Ball.

Sinead O'Connor is no stranger to controversy, having ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live in 1992, but more than two decades later it appears the Irish singer is alarmed by today's most hotly debated pop star, Miley Cyrus.

O'Connor has penned an open letter to the American star after "dodging phone calls from various newspapers" about Cyrus's comparisons between the videos for "Wrecking Ball" and "Nothing Compares 2 U".

Cyrus's openly sexual videos and performances are, according to O'Connor, a measure of how the young singer is being exploited by the music industry, advising her that she is "worth more than your body or your sex appeal".

She wrote: "The music business doesn't give a s*** about you, or any of us. They will prostitute you for all you are worth, and cleverly make you think it's what you wanted... And when you end up in rehab as a result of being prostituted, 'they' will be sunning themselves on their yachts in Antigua, which they bought by selling your body and you will find yourself very alone."

The 1000-word rant continued: "Don't be under any illusions... All of them want you because they're making money off your youth and your beauty... which they could not do except for the fact your youth makes you blind to the evils of show business."

While Miley claimed her look was similar to that of the young O'Connor, the Irish star begged to differ.

"You also said in Rolling Stone that your look is based on mine," O'Connor said.

"The look I chose, I chose on purpose at a time when my record company were encouraging me to do what you have done. I felt I would rather be judged on my talent and not my looks.

"I am happy that I made that choice, not least because I do not find myself on the proverbial rag heap now that I am almost 47 years of age... Which unfortunately many female artists who have based their image around their sexuality end up on when they reach middle age."

OPEN LETTER TO MILEY CYRUS
Dear Miley,

I wasn't going to write this letter, but today i've been dodging phone calls from various newspapers who wished me to remark upon your having said your Wrecking Ball video was designed to be similar to the one for Nothing Compares... So this is what I need to say... I am extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you to believe, or encouraged you in your own belief, that it is in any way 'cool' to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos.

It is in fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped, whether its the music business or yourself doing the pimping. Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to be exploited, 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.

I am happy to hear I am somewhat of a role model for you and I hope that because of that you will pay close attention to what I am telling you. The music business doesn't give a shit about you, or any of us. They will prostitute you for all you are worth, and cleverly make you think its what YOU wanted.. and when you end up in rehab as a result of being prostituted, 'they' will be sunning themselves on their yachts in Antigua which they bought by selling your body and you will find yourself very alone. None of the men oggling you give a shit about you either, do not be fooled. Many's the woman mistook lust for love. If they want you sexually that doesn't mean they give a fuck about you. All the more true when you unwittingly give the impression you don't give much of a fuck about yourself.

You are worth more than your body or your sexual appeal. As I said, you have enough talent that you don't need to let the music business make a prostitute of you. The look I chose, I chose on purpose at a time when my record company were encouraging me to do what you have done. I felt I would rather be judged on my talent and not my looks. I am happy that I made that choice, not least because I do not find myself on the proverbial rag heap now that I am almost 47 yrs of age.. which unfortunately many female artists who have based their image around their sexuality, end up on when they reach middle age.

Real empowerment of yourself as a woman would be to in future refuse to exploit your body or your sexuality in order for men to make money from you. I needn't even ask the question.. I've been in the business long enough to know that men are making more money than you are from you getting naked. Its really not at all cool. And its sending dangerous signals to other young women. Please in future say no when you are asked to prostitute yourself. Your body is for you and your boyfriend. It isn't for every spunk-spewing dirtbag on the net, or every greedy record company executive to buy his mistresses diamonds with. As for the shedding of the Hannah Montana image.. whoever is telling you getting naked is the way to do that does absolutely NOT respect your talent, or you as a young lady. Your records are good enough for you not to need any shedding of Hannah Montana. She's waaaaaaay gone by now.. Not because you got naked but because you make great records. Whether we like it or not, us females in the industry are role models and as such we have to be extremely careful what messages we send to other women.

The message you keep sending is that its somehow cool to be prostituted.. its so not cool Miley.. its dangerous. Women are to be valued for so much more than their sexuality. we aren't merely objects of desire. I would be encouraging you to send healthier messages to your peers.. that they and you are worth more than what is currently going on in your career. Kindly fire any motherfucker who hasn't expressed alarm, because they don't care about you.

Sinead.

- The Independent