Ariana Grande addresses criticism on singer’s ‘little higher’ voice

Ariana Grande got candid on questions being raised over the "higher" tone of voice she has been using recently.

The Wicked star, addressed online speculation about her vocal tone, with some critics questioning why she now speaks in a higher pitch than before.

Speaking on the SmartLess podcast on Feb. 3, Grande explained, "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."

The 31-year-old singer further clarified that adjusting her vocal placement is a common technique among vocalists to protect their voices. 

"I'll change my vocal placement to kind of preserve. But that is just something that's healthy for the voice. It's just basically pitching your voice up a tiny bit," she said.

Grande, who began dating her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater in 2023, also addressed the ongoing skepticism surrounding her voice, calling it "interesting." 

She emphasized, "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.’"

The Positions singer previously defended her vocal choices last year while preparing for her role as Glinda in Wicked, but she acknowledged that criticism may never go away.

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

Despite the ongoing commentary, Grande embraces the vocal elements she developed while playing Glinda, suggesting that they may remain part of her voice moving forward.