Paris Hilton Addresses That Viral Voice Change Moment

There’s only one way to say, “That’s hot.” As anyone who grew up during the mid-2000s knows, Paris Hilton’s signature catchphrase only lands when spoken in a breathy, almost-listless intonation. It’s a cadence that’s become so associated with Hilton, that when the superstar heiress suddenly changed up her speaking pattern recently, fans were caught by surprise. Now, Hilton is explaining why she changes her voice based on the situation.

In recent years, Hilton has talked a lot about how she would put on a ditzy “dumb blonde” persona during her The Simple Life days, and it turns out, her manner of speaking was a big part of this character. When she testified before Congress in June, fans got to hear her real voice, as a moment from her testimonial in which Hilton switched from her well-known breathiness to a more deep and serious tone went viral on social media.

Hilton addressed the fascination with her two voices in Nylon’s September 2024 issue. “In the beginning, it was kind of a trauma response, where I wanted to create this perfect Barbie doll life because of what I went through as a teenager,” Hilton said. “This was a protective mask. And then getting on The Simple Life, I was being told, ‘We want you to play up this ditzy airhead character.’ I didn’t realize it would be such a huge success and we’d have to continue on for five seasons. Doing all the late night shows and interviews, of course I would have to use the voice there, too. So I just got used to it.”

And while Hilton said she’s “reclaiming” her real voice now — crediting her Infinite Icon producer Sia with pushing her to sing without her “breathy Marilyn voice” — she’s not planning on getting rid of the vocalization that helped make her famous.

“That voice is the more playful side of me,” Hilton said. “I’ll do it if I’m shy, or if I’m just having fun. It’s part of my personality, so I think it’s going to be part of me forever.”