LOS ANGELES - Miley Cyrus is a seasoned professional but, on Monday (March 18), she just could not compose herself to sing.

She had turned up at a memorial service for Janice Freeman, who was on her team in Season 13 of reality show The Voice, where Cyrus, 26, was a coach.

Freeman, who finished 11th in the contest in 2017, died on March 2 from pneumonia and a blood clot. She was 33.

"I was never her coach, ever. She was always mine," Cyrus said in a tearful speech on Monday.

"I've learnt more from her than anyone whom I've ever got the honour to be in the room with, not just vocally, I should've got more lessons than I did, but she taught me everything that I know about love.

"And, to be here, and I had planned on singing a song for her, but just losing her is just too much for me. So... my dad's gonna take care of this for me. But, I'll always be your sister, I'm here for you, and I'm here for your family, and Janice I'll miss you more than I could ever say."

But Cyrus did at some point join her father Billy Ray Cyrus to sing Amazing Grace.

Back in January 2018, she had also shown support for Freeman, tweeting that she was taking care of The Voice contestant's housing bills for six months.