Paris Hilton Shocks the Internet With Her Drastic Voice Change During a Speech With the U.S. Congress

Content warning: This article mentions abuse.

If films like Legally Blonde have taught us anything, it's that the way you present yourself publicly should not be an indicator of your capacity for knowledge or professionalism. Not judging a book by its cover should be a no-brainer; surface-level assumptions can only tell us so much about a person's experiences. The same is especially true in professional settings when one's manner of speech can switch drastically from employee to employee.

In fact, it may surprise you to know that even one of the most prominent and vivacious socialites of our generation seems to have mastered the art of business code-switching. Paris Hilton has been a professional "it girl" since the late 1990s. As one of the most notorious examples of the "famous for being famous" grind, many have accused her of embodying the "dumb blonde" stereotype for women. However, Paris Hilton's voice change during a congressional hearing has caught everyone's attention.

In late June 2024, Paris appeared at a U.S. congressional hearing where she spoke about the importance of providing more resources for mental health care for teenagers.

At one point in the hearing, she spoke in her traditional soft-spoken "baby voice" with which she's built her celebrity persona over several years. During this time, she simply spoke about a U.S. representative's sparkly jacket and how much she enjoyed the style.

Less than a second afterward, however, she seamlessly switched to a much lower and more "professional-sounding" voice register when speaking on the seriousness of child welfare. She would go on to advocate for "access to therapy counseling, mentorship, and other community-based programs" throughout the country.

The voice change has left the internet shocked, with many calling the celebrity "iconic" for being able to slip into professionalism so effortlessly.

One user on Instagram called this phenomenon "dissociative voice change," a trauma response in which a person's voice may change drastically between different social settings. Others have also praised her for defying the stereotypes surrounding her celebrity status when tackling more serious issues.

While the voice change itself has stunned many, Paris Hilton's pivot into professionalism isn't all that surprising. With the premiere of the 2020 YouTube Originals doc, This Is Paris, the socialite has been remarkably open about her experiences with emotional, verbal, and physical abuse during her years attending boarding school.

While she still appears in reality shows, ad campaigns for big brands, and continues to make a killing as one of the world's first influencers, she has become a known advocate for mental health and counseling.

Of course, she's also previously launched controversial NFT collections in the past. Nobody's perfect, apparently.