Ariana Grande has responded to criticism that her voice is still affected by her ‘Wicked’ character Glinda.
The June 17 episode of “Podcrushed,” which was hosted by Penn Badgley, Nava Kavelin, and Sophie Ansari, featured a moment where Grande seemed to alter the tone of her voice to a high-pitched Glinda voice (her character in Wicked).
@scatsplat #arianagrande #fypage ♬ original sound – .
Grande explained the sudden pitch shift in a comment on the video’s TikTok post on June 18. She called it a “habit” meant to protect her “vocal health.”
She wrote, adding the crying emoji, “habit (speaking like this for two years) and also vocal health:) I intentionally change my vocal placement (high / low) often depending on how much singing I’m doing.” “I’ve done this BYE for always.”
TikTok users made fun of the obvious change-up before the “Wicked” star responded, writing, “GLINDA LET HER GO.”
“Me switching to my customer service voice at work,” another person wrote.
Regarding her deeper tone, someone else wrote, “SHES STILL IN THERE.”
Some wrote, “I feel her “glinda voice” is easier on her vocals than her “normal voice,” but glinda is also a big part to her,” in an attempt to encourage her.
After hearing Grande present at the 2024 Oscars, fans had similar thoughts.
The singer went on stage alongside Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, the friend-turned-enemy of Glinda in the upcoming November musical film adaptation. Donning a voluptuous pink gown, the vocalist’s performance was soft.
Social media was used at the time by fans to draw attention to the fact that Grande’s voice sounded higher pitched than it actually was.
They also likened the alteration to Austin Butler’s 2022 film “Elvis,” in which he voiced Elvis Presley. Butler had a vocal coach during the project and admitted in interviews that he found it difficult to get rid of the voice even after it was shot.
Writer Esther Zuckerman described Ariana Grande’s voice on X as “Galinda voice, but it’s Austin Butler’s Elvis voice.”
Another X user commented, “Oh no Austin Butler look what you did to Ariana’s voice.”
“Ariana Grande needs to be stopped speaking in a Glinda voice by someone,” another person commented.
Grande added that, in preparation for the part, she “transformed” her singing voice.
In an interview with Zach Sang, the singer claimed that she worked “every day” to “transform my voice, even — like, my singing voice — everything about me.” “I had to dismantle myself in order to show them that I could handle facing this other person.”
From the time Grande became well-known as a public figure, her fans have followed the development of her speaking voice. Even those Oscar watchers who didn’t associate the voice with “Wicked” observed a shift.
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