Whether you are an Apple lover or not, there is no doubt that most people have heard of Siri. The famous iPhone feature is known as a clever, virtual assistant that has gone viral for sassy remarks as well as praised for efficiency. While most people this day in age may recognize the voice of Siri, very few actually know who voices Siri.
The Real Voice Of Siri
It can be easy to forget that behind the renowned computer program, there is a human voice actor. With her clear and concise speech as well as neutral accent, her voice has become the standard of pretty much all technology. GPSs, e-learning software, and the instructional voice at Delta Air Terminals are just a few things that may come to mind when it comes to such a voice. These face-less, female voiceovers are not just similarsounding -they are the same person. A single voice actress is behind some of the most famous voices. While she may be recognizable for many across different movies, programs, and advertisements, there are not many who can identify the women behind the disembodied voice. Who is the voice of Siri?
The Mystery Of Who Is Siri
Susan Bennet, an American voiceover artist, has been credited as being the voice behind the program iPhone users have come to know and love. The strange thing is that, technically speaking, Apple has refused to reveal or confirm the real voice of Siri. In fact, for some time it remained a mystery that had many “internet detectives” compiling theories and making all kinds of accusations on who they thought was the real Siri. (There was even one point where Allison Dufty was thought to have been the Siri voice actor, but she quickly shut down those claims on her blog.) How then are we so sure that Susan Bennet is the Siri voice actor?
The Siri Investigation
Just because the virtual assistant sports the same trademark voice of Bennet does not necessarily mean that she is the Siri voice actress. In combination with today’s speech production technology and Apple’s refusal to personally confirm the identity of Siri, it was a bit difficult to know for sure. In this day in age, you can’t just base a claim on the grounds that “they sound alike,” so CNN took the investigation into their own hands and decided to hire an audio forensics expert. The expert, Ed Primeau, had been working in the field for thirty years, testifying in court and analyzing countless voice recordings. After comparing the voices of Bennet and Siri (as well as getting a second opinion from a trusted colleague), Primeau confirmed the claims that Susan Bennet was, in fact, Siri. CNN reported that Primeau stated: “I believe, and I’ve lived this for 30 years, no two voices are the same. They are identical – a 100% match.” Hard to deny a specialist, but the real question is why such great lengths had to be taken to prove the identity of Siri’s voice actress?
Susan Bennett Siri Audition
Why couldn’t Susan Bennet just come forward with a job contract to prove she was the real Siri? Well, it wasn’t even like she herself had any definitive proof about her role. Bennet had spent hours in a voice-over studio recording for an hourly gig through ScanSoft. She didn’t know exactly what it was being used for, just that it would probably be for some kind of phone systems. Having been the voice actress for many phone operations, this wasn’t something all too out of the ordinary for her. She collected her check and went on her way to the next gig without a second thought, never even knowing her role in Siri until one of her friends called and pointed it out. While she didn’t have the iPhone herself, friends urged her to check out video clips of Siri on Apple’s site. Sure enough, it was unmistakably hers!
Susan Bennet continues to comment on her experience as Siri as well as an accomplished voice and movie actress. She continues to work doing voiceovers for various different projects and companies. While new voices for Siri have been implemented, so she is no longer the singular voice of the iPhone, it is safe to say her iconic voice will remain in the hearts of many for a long time.