Have you ever wonder who is behind the famous voice of Siri on iPhone?

Two years after Apple had launched Siri on iPhone 4s,  CNN had revealed the true identity of Siri’s voice.

The original voice actually from the voice-over artist named Susan Bennett.

She is a singer/voice actor/keyboard player, working and playing in the Atlanta area, music in deed has been a huge part of her life.

 

[block_quote quote = ‘1|0’]The first time I heard my voice as Siri was when my friend emailed me and said, isn’t this you? And when I went to Apple site to hear the voice, I just realized that it is me!” – Susan Bennett[/block_quote]

After her voice was revealed as Siri in 2013, her life was become like a rock star.

[block_quote quote = ‘1|0’]It’s been crazy to the max. It’s been complete opposite of my life up to that point.” – Susan Bennett[/block_quote]

Since then, she received a numbers of a new job offers, more than 400 interview requests, appeared on David Letterman Show as well as Queen Latifah Show.

This is an example of the potential of becoming a voice-over artist and Susan has proven that this skill could become as a professional career.

Malaysia’s VO artist acting their cartoon character in one scene.

Here are 5 tips shared by Susan for those who are interested to jump into voice-over industry.

#1 – Reading Skills

Reading skills are essential, and taking any kind of acting class or voice coaching would be beneficial.

There are two types of VO performances: announcers (commercial tags, news, messaging); and actors, who tell the story in commercials, etc.

Read as much as you can, and record yourself if possible.

That should give you a sense of whether VO is something you should try to pursue.

Taking an improve class would help in every way, because VO is basically acting for the voice, and learning to think on your feet will help you in any situation, whether you pursue a career in voice-over or something else entirely!

#2 – Find a Local Voice Coach

Look on the web, call recording studios, or talent agents to find one who’s right for you, and who can help you put together a demo (:60 mp3).

Many of you have said you’d like to be a cartoon, but start with a demo of you, as your voice print, as it were.

Make a commercial demo first, then branch out into character voices, IVR, narration, etc.

#3 – Auditions

Auditions are the way you get work!

Almost all VO work today is cast through auditions, so it’s important for you to get comfortable with that.

You can sign onto VO websites like Voice123 and Voices.com.

You’ll receive tons of auditions, so you can practice.

You might also consider reading for the blind, or doing other volunteer projects for which you can utilize your voice and reading skills.

#4 – Professional Sound

This can be tough if you’re a novice, but look on the web for inexpensive equipment.

It’s important that you sound professional, which means you need a good mic at the very least.

Actually, you can do a lot with your smart phone, MixerFace (recording interface for smart phones), and a good microphone.

#5 -The Web

The Web Today’s trend in VO is to sound “natural.”

Even announcers today are often asked to sound “less announcery!”

Use the web to help you.

Practice with different commercials, and take advantage of the many coaching and instructional videos out there.

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Remember that VO is a skill! It’s not enough just to have a good voice.

You have to learn the “tricks of the trade” so you can be confident when you start to compete for VO work.

Eventually, you’ll want to get an agent and join SAG-AFTRA to get higher level work.

Check out Dee Bradley Baker’s site as well.

He’s got a lot of good advice for all levels of VO experience.

Good luck! A career in voiceovers is a lot of fun!

Note: Tips on how to to become VO artist is originally from Susan Benett.