Female celebrities change are changing the pitch of their voices because they feel pressure to both be liked and command respect, vocal experts have revealed.
Paris Hilton surprised her fans this week with her ability to snap in and out of her trademark ‘girly’ voice, which is as much as part of her character as pink sparkles and chihuahuas.
The hotel heiress is known for her high-pitched ‘baby voice’, but while contributing to a congressional panel on improving welfare protections for young people, the mother-of-two – who recently spoke out about the alleged abuse she suffered as a child – opted for a deeper tone.
It comes after, Ariana Grande did the same while speaking on an episode of Podcrushed with Penn Badgley last month, while delving into her childhood and her experiences working for Nickelodeon last month.
Dr. Daniel Glazer, Clinical Psychologist and co-founder of UK Therapy Rooms, told Femail: ‘Vocal modulation, while not exclusive to women, does seem more prevalent among female entertainers.
Ariana was speaking on an episode of Podcrushed with Penn Badgley when her voice changed from deep to high-pitched
‘This may partially stem from societal pressures for women to strike a balance between likeability and commanding respect, with vocal adjustments sometimes employed to calibrate that equilibrium.
‘Many women are raised from a young age to prioritize nurturing personas that exude warmth and approachability. Modulating one’s voice to consciously or unconsciously emphasize those qualities could extend from those ingrained gender norms and expectations. It’s a way to signal femininity while still exerting authority when needed.’
Similarly, Pyschoglist Ms Esmaeilpour said: ‘The phenomenon of voice changing does seem to be more generally reported among women, which might be expected from the social demands for femininity and perceptions related to women’s voices.
‘Higher-pitched voices are connotative of traditional notions of femininity, and deeper voices are similarly related to authority and credibility.
‘Women in the public eye might feel the urge to modulate their voices to fit various contexts, whether to become approachable or to make themselves heard in serious arguments.’
Paris Hilton changed her voice whilst contributing to a congressional panel that focused on improving welfare protections for young people
Other voice experts and psychologists have suggested that higher-pitched feminine voices tend to be ‘more attractive’ to fans.
Nilou Esmaeilpour, Clinical Director & Registered Clinical Counsellor at Lotus Therapy & Counselling Centre, said: ‘A higher-pitched voice usually seems more youthful and full of energy, hence making the celebrity more attractive to certain groups of people.
‘It’s normal that higher-pitched voices may bond better with their fans because higher-pitched voices exhibit excitement and interest in their content.’
Similarly, Dr. Daniel Glazer, Clinical Psychologist and co-founder of UK Therapy Rooms, said: ‘Higher pitches generally connote youth, femininity and approachability which some celebrities leverage to foster relatability among fans.’
But he also added that when stars feel insecure, they can often put on an ‘artificial, exaggerated vocal persona that’s totally different from how they truly sound.’
The Wicked star was talking about her growth as a singer and her songwriting journey while speaking about her album, Eternal Sunshine, when she shifted to a tone higher
Many people theorized her change in voice may be because she is still using the voice she used while playing Glinda in Wicked, which she seemed to confirm; pictured with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba
Ariana indicated the change was a matter of ‘habit’ — likely due to using a different voice while filming Wicked — and it was also an attempt to to maintain her ‘vocal health’
Ariana was quick to snap back at critics, saying she had gotten used to speaking in her higher voice for Wicked, in which she stars as Galinda Upland, later known as Glinda the Good.
Writing on TikTok, she said: ‘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.
‘I’ve always done this BYE,’ she added, abruptly ending the conversation.
Intuitive Vocal Specialist Anne Leatherland said: ‘If someone speaks at a habitually different pitch than is optimal for them, then over time the vocal folds could be put under strain and other issues could result.
‘This is especially so if the voice is pushed to keep making that pitch when it is already challenged or compromised.’
Paris was asked by United States Representative Claudia Tenney to explain how mental health and counselling support could be built into child welfare programs.
Their talk began with the A-lister complimenting Rep Tenney’s jacket.
In her trademark ‘girly’ voice, Paris said: ‘Thank you, I enjoyed our Zoom call. I love your jacket. The sparkles are amazing.’
The US representative responded: ‘I had a little bling here for today.’
The mother-of-two replied: ‘I wanted to find out who made it later.’
However, when the conversation shifted to something more serious, so did the blonde beauty’s voice.
‘I think the most important thing is we need access to therapy, counselling, mentorship, and other community-based programs,’ she said in a commanding tone.
Commenting on the switch, Dr Glazer said: ‘Paris Hilton’s decision to deepen her voice when addressing Congress likely stemmed from a desire to convey gravitas and be taken seriously on such a profound matter. Lower pitches tend to be perceived as more authoritative. ‘
In a viral video, Paris was asked by United States Representative Claudia Tenney, 63, (left) to explain how mental health and counseling support could be built into child welfare programs
The 43-year-old media mogul is known for her iconic, high-pitched vocals, which have often been called a ‘baby voice’ by fans
And it appears her goal to bring ‘gravitas’ to what she was saying worked, with some fans suggesting that she should get into politics.
Paris addressed her ‘dumb blonde’ image and admitted that it was just a persona she used to gain popularity.
Speaking on Lorraine last year, she said: ‘I’ve always been ahead of my time! Just like I say, I’m not a dumb blonde, I’m just very good at pretending to be one.
The 42-year-old socialite became known around the world in the early 2000s when she starred in the first-of-its-kind reality show The Simple Life with Nicole Richie.
She played a clueless rich girl on the show, and kept the momentum going off screen as well.
‘It really was (ground-breaking), we are the OGs and it was amazing to see so many people inspired by it as we created a new genre of celebrity,’ she added.
This was seen when fans came up to Paris in Congress and presented her with her book to sign, along with asking for selfies.
Similarly, during an appearance on This Morning, host Alison Hammond was stunned when Hilton spoke in her deep timbre.
Fans of Paris Hilton ask the star for selfies during a recess last week
Paris Hilton gives an autograph on her book for a House staff member during a recess
‘This is the authentic Paris? This isn’t the voice I remember.’ she gasped.
‘This is my real voice, that was a character,’ Paris responded.
Noël Wolf, teacher and linguistic expert at Babbel said: ‘Paris Hilton has spoken publicly about how the iconic ‘Paris Hilton voice’ was part of a character she created for her public appearances.
‘It seems that Paris was aware of a certain image she wanted to present, and adapted her voice to become more high-pitched during public appearances, or for TV, to fit with this overall impression she wanted to create.’
