Woman Tries to Sing High By Inhaling Helium, Passes Out Instead

Singing in an unreasonably high register is a feat accomplished through years of practice. It is not, as this woman learned, done by inhaling a bunch of helium.

To make a long explanation a bit shorter, helium is lighter than air, so when you inhale it, it affects the way that your vocal chords interact with your exhaled breath. This gives your voice a timbre that sounds a bit like a chipmunk.

However, this isn’t the full story. As noted by the Compressed Gas Association (yes, that’s a real thing), “Oxygen is actually removed from the blood stream during the exchange of gases. Depending on how completely oxygen is replaced by helium, you may lose consciousness quickly and without warning.”

That might explain why this woman’s attempt to sound like Ariana Grande ended with her fainting then having a seizure.