Behind the Mic: Danie B
Hi! My name is Danie B and even though I have 11 years of radio experience as a personality and assistant program director, I’m pretty new to voiceover. Honestly, I never thought I had a voice for voiceover, but I just landed my first gig, and I’m excited for all that is to come!
What radio VO work have you done in the past?
Other than a couple of one-offs at former stations I’ve worked for, I have never officially done voiceover for a radio station until last month.
What are you up to presently?
I am currently the voice of the recently launched 102.3 in South Bend Indiana (WYET)
What do you love about your job?
I love all things radio. I love how it’s an instantaneous way to connect with so many people.
How did you get started as a VO actor?
I had talked to Tony Lorino via telephone, but we met for the first time in person at Morning Show Boot Camp this past August. While there, he said that now that he had seen me and interacted with me in person, he felt like I embodied the exact vibe he was looking for to be a part of this special project he was working on. When I got back home, he called and asked me to put together a VO audition. I did the best I could, he loved it and offered me my first-ever VO job.
What was your first gig? Any memorable ones since then?
WYET The new 102.3 is my first-ever gig. The most memorable experience in all this has been hearing myself on the radio in that form. For 11 years I have always been the personality. Never did I ever think that my voice could carry a station in that way, so this whole journey has been exciting, to say the least.
Who are your VO idols/mentors?
I love Rick Party! He has always been so encouraging of me, and his voice is amazing. Another person I love is Dyron Ducati. He’s one of my best friends and I probably wouldn’t be in the radio business at all if it wasn’t for his guidance.
If you weren’t doing voiceover, what else do you think you’d be doing for a career?
Well, I’ve been a radio personality for 11 years, and I’ve always wanted to host a TV show, so I’d probably be doing that.
What did it feel like the first time you heard your voice on the radio/television?
It was extremely exciting. I think I cried a little. I’m originally from Atlanta, GA, my parents were raised in the Lowcountry area of South Carolina. During the summers I’d go to South Carolina and work as a maid to earn money. As a kid, my mom picked tobacco leaves for pennies a day. I say all this to emphasize that I didn’t come from much, so the fact that any dream of mine came true in any form is a true blessing.
How has new technology changed the way you work?
I’m more independent, I have more control over how I use my time, and how fast I can complete jobs.
What gear do you use on the road? In your studio?
I have not had to do any work on the road yet, so I’m open to suggestions there. In my studio, I have a rode caster and mic, and on my computer, I have Adobe Audition. One of my best friends Kevin Kon and I had a morning show in Orlando, FL. When the station flipped, we took all of our props and created a podcast studio in our home, ball pit and all. There’s soundproofing foam behind the grass wall, a rodecaster, etc.
Danie has a ball recording in the studio!
Which production system do you use and why? Any favorite plugins?
I use Adobe Audition because that’s what I’m most familiar with. As far as plugins, I’m not using any yet since I’m just getting my feet wet in the world of VO.
Have you ever had a voice coach? Would you recommend it?
I have not officially had one, but my mentor Dyron Ducati works with me often on delivery and tone. The way I see it, anyone or anything that genuinely helps and not hurts is a good thing.
How do you schedule/prioritize your work? How much time do you spend auditioning for new work?
I schedule and prioritize by the due date. Things are due first get completed first.
How do you market your services to potential clients?
I haven’t quite figured that part out yet. What I plan to do is push email newsletters out to my contacts and utilize my skills on social media.
Can you offer 3 helpful tips for newbies trying to make it in the voice-over industry?
As a newbie myself, the biggest advice I can give is to not be afraid to put yourself out there and be your full authentic self. Go to networking events like Morning Show Boot Camp and utilize social media to showcase what you can do. These are all the things I did that got me noticed by one person, and that one person looking my way opened the door to a world of opportunity.
If you could go back in time and hang out in any decade, which one would you go back to and why?
I’d say the 90’s. Growing up in the 90’s was cool, but to have been an adult experiencing the rise of Outkast, Miami Base Music, MTV Spring Break, Freaknik, and radio the way it used to be when we looked to radio to tell us what was hot, what was a hit, and what was really going on with our favorite celebs, would have been epic.
Favorite 2 pizza toppings?
This may sound weird, but chicken and banana peppers. Don’t knock until you try it!
If you could invite one person to dinner, living or dead, who would it be?
Prince! He just seemed like such a dope person to hang out with. He was super creative, extremely talented, a bit shady, and from the stories you hear very random and hilarious. I mean have you seen the Charlie Murphy Chappelle Show Episode where Charlie Murphy tells the Prince story? Pure Comedy!
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