Ariana Grande admits her ‘voice change’ in viral video was intentional: Why ‘I’ve always done this’
Ariana Grande is switchin’ the positions … of her vocal cords.
After the pop star went viral for a “voice change” in the middle of her appearance on Penn Badgley’s “Podcrushed” podcast last week, she snarkily explained the phenomenon on TikTok.
“habit (speaking like this for two years) and also vocal health 🙂 🍵,” Grande, 30, commented beneath a video showcasing the obvious switch.
“i intentionally change my vocal placement (high / low) often depending on how much singing i’m doing 😭 i’ve always done this BYE.”
The singer — who has been preparing to star as Glinda in the film adaptation of the musical “Wicked” — was speaking in a lower register about recording new music before suddenly shifting to a higher tone.
“Me switching to my customer service voice at work,” one netizen quipped, as another added, “me accidentally slipping my other personalities around the wrong people.”
“LMFAO THAT WAS SO SUDDEN HELP,” someone else exclaimed.
Others were in disbelief, writing things like, “This can’t be realll😭” and “How did that just happen?? 😭😭.”
“I DONT EVEN THINK SHE REALIZES 😭,” yet another commenter remarked, while someone else noted, “I don’t even know what her real voice sounds like anymore 😭😭😭.”
Several critics said Grande was “giving Paris Hilton,” as the hotel heiress often speaks in a high-pitched, ditsy voice that she’s admitted is part of a “character.”
“The real me is actually someone who is brilliant,” Hilton, 43, explained in September 2020. “And I’m not a dumb blonde; I’m just really good at pretending to be one.”
Fans first noticed Grande’s voice-shifting at the 2024 Academy Awards in March, where she and her “Wicked” co-star Cynthia Erivo presented the Oscars for best original song and best original score.
