Ariana Grande is addressing recent commentary about her voice and highlighting the differences in how such criticism is directed at men versus women.
In an interview for the Shut Up Evan podcast with Evan Ross Katz on July 9, Grande, 31, discussed the changes in her voice and the criticism that has followed. She emphasized that vocal changes are “a normal thing people do, especially if you have a large range.”
“I did just spend a long time playing a character every single day,” Grande said, referring to her role as Glinda in the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked. “[I trained] my voice to do different things for a long time before leaving for London and before any of this; muscle memory is a real thing.”
Grande’s comments come after a clip of her on the PodCrushed podcast with Penn Badgley went viral in June. In the clip, her voice seemed to fluctuate drastically from high to low. The “Yes, And?” singer initially responded to fans’ teasing on TikTok, explaining that the changes were due to “habit (speaking like this for two years) and also vocal health.”
Grande spoke to Katz about the double standards she perceives in the criticism of transformative acting roles. “I mean, you see male actors, sure people make jokes here and there as well, but it’s always after the fact ‘Oh wow, how dedicated to his craft! What an amazing transformation! He’s a brilliant performer!,’” she said. “But then it’s like, god forbid I sneeze like Glinda or something, [then] it’s just that I am crazy . . . it’s the weirdest.”
Grande further elaborated on vocal health, describing it as “a full-time commitment and a lifestyle; it’s not something you can f— around with.” She added, “It’s your lifeline, it’s your instrument and it’s something that you can’t take out of a box and put back. This needs to be thought about 24/7.”
The star’s remarks shed light on the pressures and expectations placed on performers, and how these pressures can be disproportionately felt by women in the industry. As Grande continues to navigate her career and the demands of her roles, she remains candid about the realities of maintaining vocal health and dealing with public scrutiny.
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