Like the popular singing competition but for speaking, The Voice features participants with distinct speaking voices. Selected through an open call and by invitation, ten participants identified themselves to have unique speaking voices that are often commented upon, and complimented: “You’d be great on the radio!”
But what exactly qualifies as a good radio voice? Historically it’s a warm, resonant, male voice with an unmarked-accent that is pleasant, yet authoritative — a generic attractiveness set by a shared social imaginary. Today this social imaginary has expanded to more diverse standards, but it’s not to say there are no standards altogether. So in our current moment, which voices get to radiate across airwaves? This project compiles ten demo recordings of unique voices reading an excerpt from Werner Herzog’s film “Encounters at the End of the World.” Consider them as auditions. But not in the sense of a competition, so much as in the sense of your own act of listening.
With generous participation of Jared Brown, Lynnea Domienik, Shengyu Xu, Mariposa Divina, Zeynep Karahasan, Alexis de Chaunac, Pia Singh, Kat Bawden, Mauricio López F., and Noa Micaela Fields. Curated by Caroline Preziosi for Radio Roaming September broadcast.
