Grammy-winning pop sensation Kim Petras has made a startling confession about the serious damage she inflicted on her voice during her recent world tour, forcing her to completely rethink how she uses her vocal instrument.
The Tour That Nearly Cost Her Voice
The 33-year-old German artist, who achieved global recognition through her smash collaboration Unholy with Sam Smith, revealed that her 2023-2024 Feed the Beast tour left her vocal cords in such poor condition that she narrowly avoided surgical intervention.
"I had to learn vocal technique because I didn't learn until I went on tour and blew out my voice," Petras admitted in a recent interview with People magazine. "I really had to wreck my vocal cords before I learned how to properly use my instrument."
A Painful Wake-Up Call
The vocal crisis served as a brutal awakening for the singer, who found herself facing the potential end of her career if she didn't make immediate changes. Her recovery required extreme measures that tested her discipline and commitment to her craft.
"I got away with it, but I had to shut up for two weeks, not use my voice at all," she confessed, describing the complete vocal rest that became necessary to heal the damage.
This experience forced Petras to develop a completely new approach to voice care, including learning about vocal resting techniques and understanding when she needs to preserve her instrument.
The New Vocal Protection Strategy
Petras now employs specific techniques to safeguard her voice, particularly what singers call "singing in the mask" - a healthy vocal placement that protects the vocal cords from strain.
"There's healthy placement when you place your voice in your mask," Petras explained. "People sometimes perceive that as being fake when you talk from that voice, but it's to protect your instrument."
She detailed her current approach: "I also have to remind myself to speak high-pitched in my mask and not speak from my throat. I think that's been the most important lesson."
The singer even came to the defence of fellow artist Ariana Grande, who has faced similar criticism for her vocal shifts. "I feel like people need to back off Ariana Grande for using her healthy vocal placement because she's not being fake — she's just protecting her voice," Petras stated.
Unexpected Benefits and Future Plans
Despite the vocal scare, Petras found a silver lining in the experience. The tour actually helped refine her songwriting approach, making her more conscious of vocal sustainability.
"It's really been super formative for me," she reflected. "I think I used to write my songs really high-pitched before I went on tour, and then I realized, 'Oh, I have to do this every night.'"
The singer is now preparing her next studio album, which will follow her 2023 major-label debut Feed the Beast, armed with hard-won knowledge about preserving her most valuable asset.
Petras's vocal journey comes as fans continue to discuss her noticeable weight loss, with speculation about potential health issues that led to cancelled performances last year. However, her primary focus remains on maintaining vocal health as she continues her musical evolution.
