Ariana Grande responds to latest criticism about her changing voice – ‘It’s normal’

Ariana Grande is once again addressing the ongoing speculation about her voice

The 31-year-old singer and actress recently appeared on the SmartLess podcast, where hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett asked about the criticism she receives for seemingly altering the way she speaks.  

“The thing that I do that perplexes people so much - and it’s just so funny because if you’re a person who uses their voice, you know about this - is if I have a long day of press or if I have to sing, I’ll place [my voice] a little higher,” she explained. 

“I’ll change my vocal placement to kind of preserve.”  

She went on to clarify that adjusting her voice isn’t an act but its something that's necessary for her vocal health. 

“That is just something that’s healthy for the voice. It’s just basically pitching your voice up a tiny bit,” Grande said. 

“It’s just a normal thing for vocalists. But people are like, ‘That’s not her natural voice.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, it is actually, but it’s just a little higher. All of it is natural.’”  

Despite repeatedly explaining this, Grande said that people still constantly question what her real voice sounds like. 

“It’s so funny because I’ve talked about it a zillion times, and people are still like, ‘Where’s your real voice?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, they all are.’”  

This isn’t the first time she’s had to defend herself; In June 2024, a clip from her interview on Penn Badgley’s Podcrushed podcast went viral, showing her voice shift mid-sentence. 

The moment sparked a wave of TikTok comments, with one user saying, “I don’t even know what her real voice sounds like anymore.”  

With millions of views, the clip eventually caught Grande’s attention, prompting her to respond directly in the comments. 

“Habit (speaking like this for two years) and also vocal health :) ?” she wrote. 

“I intentionally change my vocal placement (high / low) often depending on how much singing I’m doing ? I’ve always done this BYE.”  

While the debate about her voice continues online, Grande seems unbothered, making it clear that every version of her voice is hers.