Susan Bennett, the voice of Siri, was also a background singer for Roy Orbison

Susan Bennett Voice of Siri

Like many of us, Susan Bennett was a little creeped out the first time she heard Siri’s voice. Her reaction was just for an entirely different reason: She was listening to herself!

“Oh, I knew,” she told CNN in an exclusive interview. “It’s obviously me. It’s my voice.”

A voice actress from Atalanta, Susan said a number of technological service voices were born from 2005 recording sessions for ScanSoft. The tapes were then chopped up and manipulated into whatever scripts the technologies needed. She’s since discovered her voice on ATM and GPS machines. Still, the iPhone caught her the most off-guard.

“I’m used to hearing my voice in the airport but this real thing you can interact with in your hand took some time for me to get used to,” she said.

Although Apple won’t confirm Susan’s claim, an audio-forensics expert told CNN he is 100 percent certain Susan’s correct.

“I understand the importance of accuracy,” Michigan-based expert Ed Primeau told CNN after analyzing Susan and Siri’s similarities. “Rest assured: It’s 100% Susan.”

As one of the most commonly heard voices in America, serving as Siri is an undeniable feather in Susan’s cap. However, even before Apple rolled out the iPhone 4S, Susan’s career was certifiably illustrious.

“I began my career as a machine many years ago,” she joked of her work. “I’m sure that you hear my voice at some point every day.”

Still, Susan’s real passion is music. After studying at Brown University, she went on to work as a back-up singer for Roy Orbison and Burt Bacharach. She now has a band with her husband. They regularly book local events — which she uses her iPhone schedule.


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