Ariana Grande has undergone a profound transformation to portray Glinda the Good Witch in the upcoming Wicked film adaptation, where she stars opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba.
Known for her powerful vocals, Grande adjusted the natural pitch of her voice to embody Glinda’s character more authentically.
Speaking to The New York Times, she shared that it was crucial for her “to erase as much of myself as possible” so that audiences could “just be looking at Glinda.”
The actress and singer, who trained to reach Glinda’s higher octave, revealed that her voice still carries traces of that adjustment.
Addressing criticism of her altered sound, Grande told Vanity Fair in September that people often overlook the effort involved in transforming one’s voice for a role.
She pointed out a double standard, noting that when male actors alter their voices, it’s generally celebrated, whereas her own dedication has been met with mixed responses.
“It’s a part of the job,” she explained, adding that she’s proud of the work she put into bringing Glinda to life.
Her commitment extended beyond voicework.
For Wicked, Grande is using her full name, Ariana Grande-Butera, to honor her roots.
Recalling her first experience seeing Wicked at age ten, she explained, “This experience was such a homecoming for me… it felt like a really lovely way of honoring that.”
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