Ariana Grande has addressed a viral video of her “changing voices” during a recent interview, explaining that it was an intentional choice.
The “Positions” singer appeared on the latest episode of actor Penn Badgley’s podcast, Podcrushed, in which she spoke about her music career and starring role in the forthcoming musical film, Wicked.
A clip from the 12 June episode that has gone viral on social media shows Grande, 30, laughing and speaking in a deeper register than fans are familiar with before immediately switching to a much higher, breathy voice.
“This voice change is sending me,” one viewer said, as they shared the clip in a post that has received more than 170,000 likes on TikTok. “Regular Ariana was coming out for a second.”
Some fans suggested that it was natural Grande, a singer, would have “different voices”.
“Yall acting like y’all’s voices don’t change in certain spaces and settings,” one wrote. “Her interview voice is no different, especially cause singers use [it] to preserve their vocals. Don’t bring no dumb s*** over here.”
Grande has since responded to one of the videos on TikTok, explaining that speaking in her higher voice has become a “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,” she commented. “I’ve always done this BYE.”
Grande has previously spoken about the techniques she deploys to protect her voice as long ago as 2013, in an interview where she explained her higher tone.
“I’ve been speaking in a slightly higher placement than I usually speak in because I’ve been doing a lot of interviews and I’m trying to keep my voice healthy,” she said.
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The “7 Rings” artist addressed the huge changes she underwent in order to play her Wicked character, Glinda, while working with acting coach Nancy Banks and voice coach Eric Vetro.
“Everything about me, I had to deconstruct to prove to them I could handle taking on this other person,” she told The Zach Sang Show in February.
“I had to completely erase popstar Ari, the person they know so well, because it’s even harder to believe someone as someone else when you’re so branded as one thing.”
Wicked is scheduled for release in UK cinemas on 27 November; a second installment is expected to follow on 26 November 2025.