Ariana Grande has addressed the criticism she has received over her voice change for her role in Wicked.
The Grammy winner will soon be seen on the big screen in Jon M Chu's anticipated movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, playing Glinda the Good Witch opposite Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Earlier this year in June, a video of Grande speaking on Penn Badgley’s Podcrushed podcast went viral online after fans noticed her voice switching between higher and deeper registers.
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Addressing the backlash in a TikTok comment, Grande wrote at the time: "I intentionally change my vocal placement (high/low) often depending on how much singing I'm doing. I’ve always done this."
Grande has now reflected on the criticism over her voice change for the role of Glinda, who is a bubbly soprano, telling Vanity Fair: "There is a part of the world that isn’t familiar with what it takes to transform your voice, whether it’s singing or taking on a different dialect for a role or doing a character voice for something."
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The singer also called out the double standard that exists when a male actor changes his voice for a role, pointing out that they're often celebrated.
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"When it’s a male actor that does it, it’s acclaimed," she said. "There are definitely jokes that are made as well, but it’s always after being led with praise: 'Oh, wow, he was so lost in the role.' And that’s just a part of the job, really.
"Tale as old as time being a woman in this industry. You are treated differently, and you are under a microscope in a way that some people aren’t."
The big-screen adaptation of Wicked is being split into two movies, with part one dropping this November and part two currently scheduled to follow in November 2025.
Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum and Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey also star.
Wicked: Part One will be released in cinemas on November 22.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
