Miley Cyrus breaks down on The Ellen DeGeneres Show: 'It just makes me really upset'

Miley Cyrus has some big news.

The 24-year-old megastar popped in for a chat with Ellen DeGeneres on Wednesday, and her appearance swiftly became a deeply emotional one.

Ellen began by saying she wanted to put a spotlight on the Happy Hippie Foundation -- Miley's non-profit organisation -- after learning backstage that the 'Malibu' singer was donating $500,000 to the Hurricane Harvey relief.

"You're amazing," the talk-show host told the singer, who was beginning to get visibly upset.

"Thank you, don't make me cry," Miley responded. "I can't really talk about it [because] it just makes me really upset."

Clearly uncomfortable, Miley told viewers that she really hoped people knew that she "couldn't fake it" and that she wanted to help in any way she could.

"You know, my grandma's sitting here [and] my mum's here -- and I go home to my seven dogs -- and if I didn't have that anymore it'd just be really hard," she said.

"I hope people understand that I can put myself in those people's shoes and just know what it feels like to have everything taken away from you," Miley said.    

At least 22 people have been killed by the storm since Friday, when it made landfall in Texas as a Category 4 hurricane. Since then, it has weakened to a tropical storm, though thousands of people have been driven out of their homes.

It's not the first time Miley, who is engaged to Liam Hemsworth, has openly expressed her emotions on a public platform.

Following Donald Trump's victory in the US election last year, she posted an emotional clip to Twitter, praising Hillary Clinton's efforts throughout the presidential race.

"I still think that in her lifetime she deserves to be the first female president, and that's what makes me so sad," Miley said through tears in the clip. "I just wish that she had that opportunity because she's fought for so long, and because I believe her when she says that she loves this country, this is all she's ever done.

"She's given her life to make it better."

The Ellen Show airs on Channel Nine, and you catch up on previous episodes at 9now.