Radio Broadcaster Angela Catterns, Voice lesson 1

Michael Kelly
“Angela, of the voices you like, which ones stand out for you and why?”

Angela Catterns
“John Laws had a good voice and Bob Carr has a very good voice . . . I don’t think Tony Abbott has a good voice . . . and I was only thinking the other day that Tanya Plibersek, the deputy Opposition Leader, who I really like, I think she could do with some voice lessons . . . she lacks energy . . . she should try your school yard ‘YA, YA, YA’ technique. She needs that.”

Last Thursday 25 of my best clients, best colleagues, best friends and selected potential clients attended an exclusive wine tasting event at Sydney’s Oak Barrel, Cellar Room which included an interview with Radio 2UE presenter Angela Catterns.

The above Q&A formed part of my interview with Angela.

The ‘YA, YA, YA technique is one I use with clients to help them increase energy in their voices.

Here’s an explanation of the technique. Imagine that you’re eight years of age in a school yard taunting another child with Nya, Nya, Nya – Nya, Nyaa, Nya chant. That chant is ugly and nasal but it does have energy. Spinning off from that the Nya, Nya voice, the technique is to keep its energy and shape it to a YA, YA, YA hook phrase that you say inside your head and then inject the energy of it, into the words you speak.

Your ‘how to apply/call to action’ for this post: 1. In the next seven days, listen for a the voice on the radio that you like. Consider what voices you like and why. 2. Experiment, or experiment again with the YA, YA, YA voice technique.

p.s. If you have a suggestion for a person in the public eye who has a Choice Voice, and whom you’d like to hear interviewed at one of my future events, I’d love to receive your suggestion.