Ariana Grande‘s interview with Penn Badgley last month raised eyebrows among fans. After hearing her speak on his Podcrushed podcast, many wondered why the singer changed her voice throughout the episode. As it turns out, there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation. So, why does Ariana Grande sound different? It all comes down to her role in the upcoming Wicked movie.
Ariana Grande Criticized For Changing Her Voice
On Tuesday, July 9, Grande addressed her viral voice change on Evan Ross Katz’s Shut Up Evan podcast. While appearing on the show, the star confirmed she’s been experimenting with her voice ever since she landed the role of Glinda. To channel the iconic character, Grande said she’s been training her voice to do “different things” like an instrument. That includes using a higher register in her acting performance. Since her Glinda voice has become “muscle memory” for her, it often comes out during normal conversations.
The voice is in the body, it’s an instrument, and muscle memory is a real thing. That’s a normal thing for people who, it’s their job to transform.
Ariana Grande
Grande pointed out that a lot of male actors have done similar things to get into character. While they’ve been praised for putting their all into their performances, she’s been criticized.
It’s always after the fact that they’re like, ‘Oh, wow, how dedicated to his craft. What an amazing transformation! He’s a brilliant performer!’ And God forbid I sneeze like Glinda.
Ariana Grande
Grande’s comments come weeks after her Podcrushed podcast interview was picked apart on social media. In a viral moment from the interview, the Nickelodeon alum could be heard talking in a lower tone before switching to a higher register. One person responded to the clip by commenting, “LMFAO THAT WAS SO SUDDEN HELP.” Meanwhile, another captioned the clip, “Me switching to my customer service voice at work.”
Grande defended her voice change on TikTok. She told fans she’s been using a higher register since it’s better for her vocal health. It’s also become a habit since she’s been in Wicked mode lately.
I intentionally change my vocal placement (high/low) often depending on how much singing I’m doing. I’ve always done this BYE
Ariana Grande
The first part of the Wicked movie adaptation is set to hit theaters on Nov. 22, 2024.
