Menzel is known for her signature high belting style; The Kennedy Center website cites Menzel and her character Elphaba as prime examples of "The Broadway Belter" employing the belting technique to their advantage. Describing Menzel as a singer with a "husky voice, which sometimes veers toward shrieking until she effortlessly reins herself in or, amazingly, kicks it up another notch," Melissa Ruggieri of "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution" concluded that she possesses "a superior instrument" both in-studio and live. On her own vocal technique, Menzel revealed that she avoids moving her shoulders while singing, telling "The Philippine Star", "I actually try to take a smaller breath for a bigger, longer note because there's less air that will come pummeling out." Despite live performances earning consistent acclaim from both critics and audiences, Menzel's technique and signature belting have received criticism from some commentators who have deemed it "screechy". Schuyler Velasco of "The Christian Science Monitor" observed that, for two decades, the singer "made a career out of belting notes that would fry the vocal chords of mere mortals", but felt the emotion of her performances sometimes suffer at the hands of her vocal proficiency, citing her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XLIX as an example of Menzel opting for technique over excitement or inspiration, yet still delivering an adequate performance. Menzel addressed such criticisms during a 2014 concert, explaining that she wishes to sing loud, proud and "from the heart", likening herself to Merman and Aretha Franklin.