“We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the tone of voice in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us.” –Friedrich Nietzsche
“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning” –Maya Angelou
For a proper understanding and appreciation of the importance of voice over and voice over acts, there was a need to put those quotes up.
To also further shed more light on voice over, let’s make use of this definition that says
“Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non-diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations.”
There are times we listen to sweepers, commercials and information from our radio and we grasp the idea without even seeing the person speaking but we feel so carried along... this can’t be done by just anybody, it take a special skill to do this and this skill is possessed by people referred to as “Voice over acts”
Now due to the widespread and popularity of the use of social media and internet, it has become difficult to catch the attention of people and it takes a properly thought and drafted script/copy that is delivered the right way by a professional to pass the message and grow on people.
2019 marking the end of a decade, we can’t deny the impact of the radio as a major tool of passing messages across to the large audience in Nigeria so it is only fair to recognize and celebrate the voices behind most of the popular jingles we hear on radio, television and other platforms. For the purpose of this write up we are zooming into the female voice over acts that we can identify as trailblazers. These ladies are behind several animated, off-stage, off-screen and non-visible characters in various works, including feature films, short films, television programs, IVRs, radio imaging, commercials, radio or audio dramas, video games, audiobooks and documentaries.
Let’s jump into our list of the Top Female voice actors from the past 10 years!
NB- Our lists are not ranked; all items have equal standing in our brains.
So in no particular order
- CHIOMA OKPALA - @chiomabbb: Chioma is a creative consultant, emotional Intelligence (E.I) coach, broadcaster and professional voice-over artiste with over 18 years of experience little wonder she is one of Nigeria's most sought after commercial voices and has worked for various high profile brands amongst which are Lagos Business School (LBS), Sales Craft Limited, Oando Plc, Mtn Nigeria, Etisalat Nigeria (9 Mobile) , Stanbic IBTC Bank, Dstv Nigeria, OLX Nigeria, Proemcees Academy, Unilever Plc, Saipem, Total to mention a few. Chioma speaks six (6) languages; English, French, Pidgin, Igbo, Idoma.
- Ewoma Oyegwa - @ewoma_o : Ewoma Oyegwa is a Nigerian voice actress, radio personality, television host, and creative producer/media personality.
Ewoma is the prestigious voiceover brand who has work with notable brands such as, Redbull, Quickteller, First Bank Nigeria, Jobberman, Shoprite among many others.
In 2013, the unassuming Ewoma became the first Nigerian female voiceover talent to ever brand a radio station (Coolfm Nigeria) through the use of station imaging, which she has also done for other top TV stations such as TVC, Views Channel just to name a few. Ewoma’s voice is very striking and distinctive which she uses in a versatile way.
- STEPHANIE UGBEYE - @thevocalexpressionist Being a professional media consultant, freelance creative writer, singer, voice actor and talk host who has some practical media industry experience, Stephanie has been engaged widely in the development of storytelling. She has voiced for Commercials, Animation, Documentaries and Podcasting with language specifications in English, Itsekiri and Pidgin for major brands in Nigeria and beyond.
- FOLUSTORMS - @folustorms: Ada Afoluwake Ogunkeye popularly called Folu Storms, is a Nigerian radio host, presenter, actress, voice-over artist, and television host.
Storms began to work as a lawyer, before she started with the radio station 92.3 Inspiration fm in 2012. She competed for the MTV Base Africa's VJ search and she was one of the three finalists.
Storms won the 2017 Ebony Life TV Sisterhood Awards for TV Personality of the Year the 2018 On-Air Personality award for the Future award and ELOY Awards. Her voice is behind major commercials and jingles that play on radio stations
- TITITHEDYNAMITE - @titithedynamite: Titi Adelagun Oyinsan popularly known as Titi (TheDynamite) Oyinsan is a Nigerian On Air Personality for TVC and is the COO at Amber11 Media.
From modeling, she went into TV after being encouraged by producers and agencies she worked with. Her Tv journey started with NTA Network, after which she worked with Soundcity where she worked alongside Denrele Edun. She is co-host of TV show Wake Up Nigeria on Television Continental along with Abayomi Owope and has lent her voice to the sounds playing on major platforms.
From this list above, we would be adding more names subsequently but for a start, to identify voice over artistes and the female doing big things in this industry.
We celebrate these powerful voices and the entire people who work behinds the scenes.
Feel free to nominate or draw out attention to more people doing “wonders “ behind the scenes so we can recognize and celebrate them.
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