Paris Hilton has been the talk of social media after people online noticed an "insane" vocal switch-up as she spoke about her experiences in youth treatment facilities.
Appearing before a US House of Representatives committee, the 43-year-old star sought to be “the voice for children whose voices can’t be heard,” recounting the harm she endured at facilities like Provo Canyon School, a psychiatric residential treatment center she was forced to attend at 16.
In a widely circulated C-Span livestream, viewers noticed a striking shift in Hilton’s voice during her testimony.
Initially engaging in light-hearted conversation with an official, Hilton praised their jacket, saying: “I love your jacket, the sparkles are amazing,” in her familiar high-pitched, tone.
However, as she turned to address the committee, her voice dropped to a serious, lower octave.
“But I think the most important thing is, we need access to therapy, counseling, mentorship, and other community programs,” Hilton stated in her more somber voice.
Fans were quick to notice this and aired their thoughts online.
"The voice change is insane," one person wrote, and a second said: "I love this clip, and also people should know the second voice is just as much an act as the first one--it's just the act everyone else does in that same room."
A third person said: "Mama been playing the game for decades. She knows how to switch on and off when she needs."
Hilton has previously discussed the evolution of her voice, which she says is part of her public persona.
During an appearance on This Morning last year, she explained to presenter Alison Hammond: “This is my real voice, that was a character. I am not a dumb blonde, people, I am just good at playing it. After [The Simple Life] I got stuck in playing that role.”
Her appearance before the US Congressional Comittee was an important one, despite the focus on her voice change.
Hilton revealed that she was "force-fed medications and sexually abused by staff" at a private youth facility in Utah during her teenage years, per the BBC News.
Her testimony has cast a spotlight on the controversial "troubled teen industry."
While some children in need are placed with relatives or foster families, others are sent to treatment centers - essentially group homes for children with complex medical or behavioral needs.
Hilton condemned the industry, which is worth billions of dollars, for prioritizing profit over the welfare of the vulnerable children it serves.
An outspoken advocate for children in youth facilities and the foster care system, Hilton has previously detailed her experiences in a book, documentary, and various interviews.
She recounted how, at 16, she was taken from her bed in the middle of the night by strangers due to her slipping grades and concerning behavior.
Her parents, unaware of the true nature of the facility, were misled by the staff.
"They just thought it was going to be a normal boarding school," Hilton told the committee. "And when I got there, there was no therapy. We would just constantly be torn down, abused, screamed and yelled at."
Hilton described how all communication with the outside world was strictly controlled.
She testified that someone was always present during phone calls with her parents, and any negative comments about the facility would result in immediate punishment.
"So if I said even one negative thing about the facility, they immediately would hang up the phone and then I would be punished and either physically beaten or thrown into solitary confinement," she said.
She is now urging US lawmakers to pass the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, which aims to bring the troubled teen industry under federal oversight.
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