Your oldest friends can see through any new persona in about four seconds. Keep them close for exactly that.

A new version of yourself installs easily in a new setting, because nobody there has anything to compare it against. Old friends have the comparison. They knew you before the voice and the posture, so the performance goes out to an audience that already holds the footage. That is annoying in the moment and it is the most useful mirror you own.

Keep a couple of those people around on purpose, especially while the new thing is going well. Ask one of them whether you have changed, and let them answer honestly. Growing is fine, and needing an act around your own friends is worth noticing.