Susan Bennett is the talented voice behind the original Siri, the virtual assistant that became a staple in the lives of iPhone users. She may not be a household name, but her voice is instantly recognizable to millions of people around the world.
Bennett was born on July 31, 1949, in Clinton, Mississippi. She grew up with a passion for music and began her career as a singer and performer. In the 1970s, she joined the popular musical group “The Sweet Inspirations” and toured with artists like Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison. However, it wasn’t until years later that she would become known as the voice of Siri.
In the early 2000s, Bennett was working as a voiceover artist, lending her voice to various projects like commercials and telephone systems. Little did she know that her voice would soon be heard by millions of iPhone users. In 2005, she recorded a series of voiceover sessions for a technology company called ScanSoft, which later became Nuance Communications.
These sessions involved recording a wide range of phrases and sentences, covering different sounds and intonations. Bennett spent hours in the recording booth, meticulously enunciating words and phrases to create a comprehensive database of her voice. At the time, she had no idea that these recordings would be used to create the voice of Siri.
It wasn’t until 2011, when Apple released the iPhone 4S, that Bennett’s voice finally made its debut as Siri. iPhone users were immediately captivated by the smooth and natural sound of the virtual assistant. Bennett’s voice became synonymous with Siri, and she became an integral part of the iPhone experience for many users.
However, it wasn’t until 2013 that Bennett publicly revealed herself as the voice behind Siri. In an interview with CNN, she shared her story and the journey that led her to becoming Siri. Bennett explained how she initially didn’t know the purpose of the recordings she had made years ago and was surprised to discover that her voice had been used for such a groundbreaking technology.
Since then, Bennett has embraced her role as the original Siri. She has given interviews, appeared on television shows, and even performed as Siri in live events. She has become a minor celebrity in her own right, thanks to her association with the iconic voice assistant.
While Bennett’s voice was replaced with a new Siri voice in later versions of Apple’s software, her contribution to the development of virtual assistants cannot be overstated. Her voice set the standard for what users expected from a virtual assistant, and her natural and friendly tone helped to make Siri feel like a real person.
Susan Bennett is the talented voice behind the original Siri. Her extensive voiceover work for a technology company eventually led to her becoming the voice of the iconic virtual assistant. Bennett’s smooth and natural voice became a defining feature of Siri and made her a familiar and trusted presence in the lives of millions of iPhone users.