Ariana Grande talks about fans’ shock over her voice change – NBC4 Washington

Originally published on E! Online

Ariana Grande says “yes” and “no” to criticism of her voice.

The “thank u, next” singer recently surprised her fans when she switched between two different accent registers during a June 12 appearance on Penn Badgley’s Podcrushed podcast. And now she’s explaining exactly why that happens — much of it has to do with her time playing Glinda in the upcoming Wicked films.

“Habit,” Grande wrote in the TikTok comments on a June 18 video denouncing the change. “(Speaking like that for two years) and also vocal health.”

She added, “I often change my vocal range (high/low) on purpose depending on how much I sing. I’ve always done it that way, BYE.”

In the original clip, the 30-year-old could be heard speaking in a deeper voice before switching to a higher, softer octave while talking about her music.

And while some jokingly noted that they could identify with the change, including one user who wrote, “Me when I have to use my customer service voice,” many fans were quick to come to Grande’s aid.

Photos: See Ariana Grande as Glinda in the sneak peek of the movie “Wicked”

“Y’all act like your voices don’t change in certain rooms and situations,” one fan noted, “but your interview voice is no different, especially because singers use it to save their voice. Stop bringing up nonsense.”

Another even suggested the change had something to do with “Wicked,” saying, “I bet she changes her voice to more easily achieve the operatic sound she needs when singing Glinda shit.”

And Grande herself even discussed the changes she had to make to portray the character, explaining that she worked daily with an acting coach and a voice coach to help transform into Glinda.

“I had to deconstruct everything about myself to prove to them that I could take on this other person,” Grande explained during a Feb. 26 appearance on The Zach Sang Show. “I had to completely erase pop star 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.”

She added: “I had to take off all my clothes and come to my callback with no makeup and my hair down. I looked like I was 11 years old.”