Internet shocked to hear Paris Hilton’s real voice

Paris Hilton made a speech in Congress this week – but jaw-dropping moment from her appearance startled fans.

Paris Hilton made a speech at Congress about institutional child abuse this week, speaking eloquently about her own horrifying experiences when she was sent to a youth residential treatment facility as a teenager.

The star’s speech was broadcast, and one moment has sparked attention online, with fans once more surprised to hear how effortlessly Hilton switches from the breathy, nasal voice most know her as having, and her “real” voice.

Speaking to representative Claudia Tenney, Hilton opened in her usual Simple Life breathy style by complimenting the politician’s choice of attire.

“I enjoyed our Zoom call, and I love your jacket – the sparkles are amazing. I need to find out who made it later,” she begins.

Paris starts in full baby voice to compliment a sparkly jacket …

… then drops a few octaves to get down to business.

And then, Hilton’s voice drops by several octaves and becomes more forceful and commanding as she addresses the topic at hand.

“I think the most important thing is, we need access to therapy, counselling and mentorship, and other community-based programs,” she said.

The difference is startling, and led to much discussion as the clip circulated on social media.

“The voice change is insane,” one person tweeted, alongside footage of the moment that’s been viewed more than eight million times.

“Paris Hilton has always been an intelligent woman. Her ‘spoiled blonde’ persona is what she has been profiting off. The real her is reflected in the second voice,” replied one viewer.

“The way her energy changes as well I’m screaming,” said another.

“She just turned off her customer service voice and went into her normal voice. We all do it to some degree!” said another.

Hilton (right) crafted her ‘rich ditz’ persona on the early noughties reality show The Simple Life.

“I remember stumbling upon a Paris Hilton documentary on YouTube a few years ago where I saw her break out of her fake voice for the first time. Felt like seeing The Undertaker out of character. Real Santa Claus isn’t real stuff,” one person tweeted.

This isn’t the first time Hilton’s caused a stir by dropping the “baby voice” that made her famous. She did the same in a series of Australian TV interviews in 2020, and again last year when she sat down for a live TV interview on British morning television.

And Hilton isn’t the only celeb to slip in and out of this distinctive vocal style: Ariana Grande left fans baffled earlier this month after she appeared to reveal her ‘real’ voice mid-interview before quickly switching back to one she puts on.

As the footage circulated on social media, Grande herself chimed in with an explanation, writing under one viral TikTok of the clip that it is a “habit” and that she changes her vocal placement “often depending on how much singing I’m doing.”

Ariana Grande is another female celeb who recently caused a stir with her noticeable voice change. Picture: Getty

Meanwhile, Hilton’s speech to congress included harrowing details about her own teenage experiences when her parents sent her to a youth facility to try and curb her bad behaviour.

“When I was 16 years old, I was ripped from my bed in the middle of the night and transported across state lines to the first of four youth residential treatment facilities,” the 43-year-old said.

“These programs promised healing, growth and support, but instead did not allow me to speak, move freely or even look out a window for two years. I was force-fed medications and sexually abused by the staff. I was violently restrained and dragged down hallways, stripped naked and thrown into solitary confinement.

“My parents were completely deceived, lied to and manipulated by this for-profit industry about the inhumane treatment I was experiencing.”

Hilton is among those calling for the US government to pass legislation allowing greater regulation and oversight of these sorts of youth care facilities.