VC Radio
Voice Coaches Radio #560 – Emmanuella Is Wella On Her Way!
Voice coaches, radio, everything voiceover. Welcome to a brand new episode of voice coaches radio. My name is Marissa and today we have a special guest upon us. Go ahead. Introduce yourself. You beautiful thing. Oh, thanks Marissa. Um, I'm Emmanuelle Adelva. I am a fairly recent graduate of the voice coaches program.
I, um, joined the program. last summer, actually. So it's been, yeah, a little over a year since, since this whole journey began. And I'm originally from Brooklyn, New York. I'm currently living in the DC area. And yeah, I'm just really excited to be here. So thank you, Marissa, for the opportunity to be here. Hey, I'm excited because all of a sudden I got this email in my inbox and it's like, look And it was just like, because, you know, the thing is, is like, yeah, I mean, you were sharing, you were sharing the gig that you got.
And I think, you know, that's awesome. I mean, cause that's what it's all about. And the excitement and, and, and the wanting to keep moving forward and keep growing and keep getting more, but let's, before we get into what you're actually doing in this moment. Give us, give us a little bit about like your career thus far.
Like what have you been doing and what made you go? You know what? I think I want to start diving into the world of voiceover. Sure. Sure. So I am actually, uh, cell biologists by training. I got, um, my PhD about 10 years ago in cell biology and thought that I was going to go the traditional academic route, um, and realize soon after receiving my PhD that, um, academia was just not for me.
And so I switched the gears and then went into. Um, what's called international development. So I'm a federal, um, government employee. I work for the United States Agency for International Development, USAID. And for the last 10 years, I've been working in the space of building, uh, university partnerships.
Uh, between universities in low and middle income countries and, um, universities in the United States. I mean, you, you're talking and I'm over here like, man, I can say silly things for a living. No, keep going. That's fine. So, yeah, so, um, I've been. I've been in this world of international development and science policy more specifically, um, because what I love to do is being able to, you know, still be in the science space, um, science and STEM space, but I'm having more of what I feel is an impact in society with regards to the work that I do.
Um, so I've been doing that for yeah, about, um, a little over 10 years now. And, um, you know, in 2020, March of 2020, you know, something pivotal happened to the world, you know, ? Yeah. Kind of big, I don't know. . Yeah, right. . So it was during these last couple of years that I started trying to figure out. What I wanted to, you know, what else I wanted to do with my life, you know, I really enjoy international development, but I felt like, you know, um, you know, and COVID really, you know, brought it home that, you know, I was missing something in my life.
Like I wanted to do something else in my life that would bring me, you know, joy beyond, you know, working the nine to five. And so, yeah. So last summer, I just happened to, like, be on a meetup, um, I'm part of a meetup, um, network in the DC area. And I, you know, logged into my meetup, um, account. Lo and behold, there was an opportunity to take a one and a half hour course on intro to voice acting, you know, and how to make money using your voice.
And, you know, I was like, why not? You know, I love to talk. Um, so why not check this out? And so, yeah, I took the course, I believe it was like last August. And, you know, I didn't actually even go back to look exactly, but I know that we had hung out, you know, throughout the program. And, um, was I there for your, I was there for your demo, right?
Yeah, for the demo you were. Yeah. Yeah. December. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, that was less than a year ago. Wow. Right? Yeah. Yeah. So, um, prior to like finding us, like, obviously you, you didn't know about this crazy world, but was there anything in your background? Like before that was like entertainment related or like public speaking or like, you know, even thinking back to like grade school, like anything that stands out.
Do you remember? Yeah. Okay, so a couple of things. The first thing is, um, I'm first generation American. My family's from Haiti. Okay. And, um, my parents, For the first six years of my life were attempting very horribly, um, to teach me English, French, and Haitian Creole. And so I actually didn't speak anything until I was like in the fourth grade.
I had to take English as a second language from, um, first grade through fourth grade to like, yeah, really get my vocabulary and, and English speaking, you know, up to speed. And so. There was that. And then, you know, fast forward to high school. Um, I actually, um, joined the speech and, and drama club, um, in high school.
And so that was my first introduction to public speaking. Um, I was, um, an original orator. Yeah. And did fairly well, you know, the state level, um, in New York. And so I really enjoyed speech and drama really enjoyed, you know, um, speaking in front of people pretty much left that behind once I, you know, went to college and grad school and whatnot.
And so, but even throughout my adult life, you know, from time to time folks would say, you know, man, you really would sound good, you know, like. You know, like I can listen to you talk like all day or, you know, I, I really enjoy, you know, listening to your voice. I, I really think you have a great speaking voice and never really thought anything of it.
So, you know, as you asked me that question, I'm like, Oh, wow. Yeah. I guess there were these. Yeah. And that's the thing is like, there's always like, There's so many people that have come through the program and a lot of, a lot of people, you know, in my experience, just because of my time frame of being at voice coaches, it's like, you know, a lot of people, the, the pandemic pushed them this in this direction, they were bored, they realized they had no hobbies, they wanted to find something to do in this, this, you know, caught their eye or, you know, there's people that, you know, have always thought about it, but like didn't really know what to do with it, you know, and it's like, it's always been tapping them on the shoulder and it's like, okay, well now is the time.
And I think that's kind of, I mean, that's similar to you. It's like, you've always had, you know, people telling you about your voice, like you've enjoyed using your voice and it's like, okay, well now here's a way to actually. Yeah. Make both those things happen where it's like, okay, people can enjoy your voice as much as you love talking.
Yeah, right, right. Um, so that's great. So, well, you got the demo. Well, you, you did the demo last December. You probably got it. My guess is either by the end of the year or beginning of the new year. What were your first steps? What did you start doing to try to get some work? I will admit when I first got it, like I was really Happy.
Overwhelmed with emotion. Like I was just like, Oh my gosh, I can't believe I did this. And like, this is what's come, you know, from, from all of the, you know, the coaching sessions and whatnot. So I will say it took me a couple of months to get, to get over the nerves and the anxiety of, you know, having to share, to share this with folks, because I was like, You know, like my, my friends and family, they know me as a scientist.
They know me as, you know, someone, you know, who, you know, who works for the government. And so like, you know, I was very different opposite side of things. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So, you know, once I got over that initial, like. Fear of sharing, um, sharing the demo with my friends and family, you know, I, you know, I shot out an email to, you know, to all of my, you know, my close friends and family.
And, um, yeah, so that was my first step. Um, and then also looking into like trying to figure out like some of the, some of the organizations that have like, not organizations but websites that you can sign up for to like be on the lookout for like auditions here and there. And, you know, I quickly turned away from that because number one, I didn't really have the money to pay for the membership.
Right, and some of that, yeah, I get that. Yeah. Um, and so, yeah, so I, yeah, so I really focused on like word of mouth. Um, and getting the word out. The big thing for me was sharing it with my friends on social media. Like once I did that, like that's when all of these, you know, like, you know, um, like support words of Port and acknowledgement and, you know, and, and opportunity started coming up.
So what did I tell you right at the end of that demo? It's like, you don't know who knows, who knows somebody else, you know, it's like, you like, that's why it's like, even that person that makes absolutely no sense in your brain in that moment to tell. Tell them, be annoying about it, you know, like they might not even realize in that moment.
It's like, maybe they walk away and they're like, wait a minute. I got to tell Emmanuel about this, you know, this situation here. You know, so, so good. I'm glad. I'm glad. So tell me about this opportunity that you just got that you were sharing. Yeah. So, so, um, so I was, so I shared, um, the demo with my friends and family.
Turns out, you know, one of my good friends, uh, is in communication. She's in media, and she used to work for USAID. Um, and so that's how we actually met, um, through work. And so, uh, she's now a contractor for USAID. And, um, an opportunity coincidentally came up with, um, with my employer to, to do a video on, um, a really cool, um, project initiative that is focusing on, you know, supporting, um, efforts related to climate change.
In, um, in Columbia and so, um, the USAID, um, mission organization in Columbia was doing this video and my friend Janice was, you know, is working with this group and she thought of me to, to do the voiceover for, to, um, for the, for the summary on, on the project that's being done there. And so, um, yeah, she got me in touch with the, um, the, the copywriter and.
We, um, exchanged numbers and, and, you know, started what I think is a really great relationship. And, um, so I did the voiceover for, for, for this group. Um, absolutely. They absolutely loved my voice. And now this video for USAID is actually going to be shown. Sometime within the next week or so at the largest conference for, uh, for climate change initiatives in Egypt.
Wow! So I'm, yeah, so I'm really, really excited about it. Oh, listen to that! She's worldwide! She's worldwide! Worldwide! You're like Pitbull. Yeah, right, right. That's awesome. That is so cool. Like, I'm sure, you know, here you were, you were getting this opportunity. The last thing you expected was that your voice was going to be playing a video in Egypt.
Right. Exactly, exactly. I was like, okay, this is, this was not what I was expecting at all. That is awesome. That is awesome. So, well, and you're right, like that is a great relationship right there that you've built. Uh, you know, when they have something else that comes up that you're going to, they're going to need a voice for if they already like you.
They've already reached out to me. There you go. See what I mean? Yeah, they've already reached out to me. That's why those relationships are so important. I've had people ask about the radio work that I'm doing and, and like, you know, how do I get radio work? It's like, well, I don't, I don't know what to tell you because these, these are opportunities that came to me.
Like I didn't, these are relationships I had built already. People that I've worked with or. Have known and just had a relationship with and they knew what I was going to provide and they wanted me. Uh, you know, so it's like, I wish I could tell you like, right, here's how you could instantly get radio or exactly not how it works.
Like, you've got to do the hustle and I've been hustling for almost 20 years. So it's like. You know, I've, I've built a lot of relationships and you're, you're on that trek and you're seeing why it's so important. Exactly. Exactly. Beautiful. Well, is there a place that if somebody wanted to, that's listening right now that wanted to go ahead and hear what you did?
Is there like, is it like an easy website that you can throw out there right now? If you go to, um, Emanuela Delva dot, I can voice. All one word. com. Um, yeah, you could check out, um, my demo and, um, I will eventually also start posting up some additional, um, this one video that I, that I just did, um, put it up there so we can hear it because, you know, that's, that's what you want to do.
You want to showcase yourself. And in these projects, when you get them pop up, it's not, you don't always get the final project. Like that's the thing. Sometimes when you ask for it, you don't always get it. Cause I know that I asked for one that I recently did. And I'm like cricket cricket, but I want it because I don't do that all the time.
Um, I'm going to have to ask again. Uh, but we'll listen to Manuela. I'm glad that we can hop on here today and get you on the podcast and share your story and your experience. You're being a rock star. You're worldwide. I'm so proud of my, my, my coaching heart is, is so much Marissa. I really, really appreciate all of the words of encouragement.
Like from the very beginning, you have been just like. an amazing, yeah, mentor and, and friend. And so I really appreciate all that you've done to help me to get to this point. So I got you girl. We all do. So don't like, Hey, when you've got questions, you already know you reach out, got you. All right. And uh, if anybody's got questions or anything that they want us to discuss here on the podcast.
Info at voice coaches. com and a brand new episode is coming your way coming up next week. Stay safe everybody Visit voice coaches. com for more voiceover news and information
I, um, joined the program. last summer, actually. So it's been, yeah, a little over a year since, since this whole journey began. And I'm originally from Brooklyn, New York. I'm currently living in the DC area. And yeah, I'm just really excited to be here. So thank you, Marissa, for the opportunity to be here. Hey, I'm excited because all of a sudden I got this email in my inbox and it's like, look And it was just like, because, you know, the thing is, is like, yeah, I mean, you were sharing, you were sharing the gig that you got.
And I think, you know, that's awesome. I mean, cause that's what it's all about. And the excitement and, and, and the wanting to keep moving forward and keep growing and keep getting more, but let's, before we get into what you're actually doing in this moment. Give us, give us a little bit about like your career thus far.
Like what have you been doing and what made you go? You know what? I think I want to start diving into the world of voiceover. Sure. Sure. So I am actually, uh, cell biologists by training. I got, um, my PhD about 10 years ago in cell biology and thought that I was going to go the traditional academic route, um, and realize soon after receiving my PhD that, um, academia was just not for me.
And so I switched the gears and then went into. Um, what's called international development. So I'm a federal, um, government employee. I work for the United States Agency for International Development, USAID. And for the last 10 years, I've been working in the space of building, uh, university partnerships.
Uh, between universities in low and middle income countries and, um, universities in the United States. I mean, you, you're talking and I'm over here like, man, I can say silly things for a living. No, keep going. That's fine. So, yeah, so, um, I've been. I've been in this world of international development and science policy more specifically, um, because what I love to do is being able to, you know, still be in the science space, um, science and STEM space, but I'm having more of what I feel is an impact in society with regards to the work that I do.
Um, so I've been doing that for yeah, about, um, a little over 10 years now. And, um, you know, in 2020, March of 2020, you know, something pivotal happened to the world, you know, ? Yeah. Kind of big, I don't know. . Yeah, right. . So it was during these last couple of years that I started trying to figure out. What I wanted to, you know, what else I wanted to do with my life, you know, I really enjoy international development, but I felt like, you know, um, you know, and COVID really, you know, brought it home that, you know, I was missing something in my life.
Like I wanted to do something else in my life that would bring me, you know, joy beyond, you know, working the nine to five. And so, yeah. So last summer, I just happened to, like, be on a meetup, um, I'm part of a meetup, um, network in the DC area. And I, you know, logged into my meetup, um, account. Lo and behold, there was an opportunity to take a one and a half hour course on intro to voice acting, you know, and how to make money using your voice.
And, you know, I was like, why not? You know, I love to talk. Um, so why not check this out? And so, yeah, I took the course, I believe it was like last August. And, you know, I didn't actually even go back to look exactly, but I know that we had hung out, you know, throughout the program. And, um, was I there for your, I was there for your demo, right?
Yeah, for the demo you were. Yeah. Yeah. December. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, that was less than a year ago. Wow. Right? Yeah. Yeah. So, um, prior to like finding us, like, obviously you, you didn't know about this crazy world, but was there anything in your background? Like before that was like entertainment related or like public speaking or like, you know, even thinking back to like grade school, like anything that stands out.
Do you remember? Yeah. Okay, so a couple of things. The first thing is, um, I'm first generation American. My family's from Haiti. Okay. And, um, my parents, For the first six years of my life were attempting very horribly, um, to teach me English, French, and Haitian Creole. And so I actually didn't speak anything until I was like in the fourth grade.
I had to take English as a second language from, um, first grade through fourth grade to like, yeah, really get my vocabulary and, and English speaking, you know, up to speed. And so. There was that. And then, you know, fast forward to high school. Um, I actually, um, joined the speech and, and drama club, um, in high school.
And so that was my first introduction to public speaking. Um, I was, um, an original orator. Yeah. And did fairly well, you know, the state level, um, in New York. And so I really enjoyed speech and drama really enjoyed, you know, um, speaking in front of people pretty much left that behind once I, you know, went to college and grad school and whatnot.
And so, but even throughout my adult life, you know, from time to time folks would say, you know, man, you really would sound good, you know, like. You know, like I can listen to you talk like all day or, you know, I, I really enjoy, you know, listening to your voice. I, I really think you have a great speaking voice and never really thought anything of it.
So, you know, as you asked me that question, I'm like, Oh, wow. Yeah. I guess there were these. Yeah. And that's the thing is like, there's always like, There's so many people that have come through the program and a lot of, a lot of people, you know, in my experience, just because of my time frame of being at voice coaches, it's like, you know, a lot of people, the, the pandemic pushed them this in this direction, they were bored, they realized they had no hobbies, they wanted to find something to do in this, this, you know, caught their eye or, you know, there's people that, you know, have always thought about it, but like didn't really know what to do with it, you know, and it's like, it's always been tapping them on the shoulder and it's like, okay, well now is the time.
And I think that's kind of, I mean, that's similar to you. It's like, you've always had, you know, people telling you about your voice, like you've enjoyed using your voice and it's like, okay, well now here's a way to actually. Yeah. Make both those things happen where it's like, okay, people can enjoy your voice as much as you love talking.
Yeah, right, right. Um, so that's great. So, well, you got the demo. Well, you, you did the demo last December. You probably got it. My guess is either by the end of the year or beginning of the new year. What were your first steps? What did you start doing to try to get some work? I will admit when I first got it, like I was really Happy.
Overwhelmed with emotion. Like I was just like, Oh my gosh, I can't believe I did this. And like, this is what's come, you know, from, from all of the, you know, the coaching sessions and whatnot. So I will say it took me a couple of months to get, to get over the nerves and the anxiety of, you know, having to share, to share this with folks, because I was like, You know, like my, my friends and family, they know me as a scientist.
They know me as, you know, someone, you know, who, you know, who works for the government. And so like, you know, I was very different opposite side of things. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So, you know, once I got over that initial, like. Fear of sharing, um, sharing the demo with my friends and family, you know, I, you know, I shot out an email to, you know, to all of my, you know, my close friends and family.
And, um, yeah, so that was my first step. Um, and then also looking into like trying to figure out like some of the, some of the organizations that have like, not organizations but websites that you can sign up for to like be on the lookout for like auditions here and there. And, you know, I quickly turned away from that because number one, I didn't really have the money to pay for the membership.
Right, and some of that, yeah, I get that. Yeah. Um, and so, yeah, so I, yeah, so I really focused on like word of mouth. Um, and getting the word out. The big thing for me was sharing it with my friends on social media. Like once I did that, like that's when all of these, you know, like, you know, um, like support words of Port and acknowledgement and, you know, and, and opportunity started coming up.
So what did I tell you right at the end of that demo? It's like, you don't know who knows, who knows somebody else, you know, it's like, you like, that's why it's like, even that person that makes absolutely no sense in your brain in that moment to tell. Tell them, be annoying about it, you know, like they might not even realize in that moment.
It's like, maybe they walk away and they're like, wait a minute. I got to tell Emmanuel about this, you know, this situation here. You know, so, so good. I'm glad. I'm glad. So tell me about this opportunity that you just got that you were sharing. Yeah. So, so, um, so I was, so I shared, um, the demo with my friends and family.
Turns out, you know, one of my good friends, uh, is in communication. She's in media, and she used to work for USAID. Um, and so that's how we actually met, um, through work. And so, uh, she's now a contractor for USAID. And, um, an opportunity coincidentally came up with, um, with my employer to, to do a video on, um, a really cool, um, project initiative that is focusing on, you know, supporting, um, efforts related to climate change.
In, um, in Columbia and so, um, the USAID, um, mission organization in Columbia was doing this video and my friend Janice was, you know, is working with this group and she thought of me to, to do the voiceover for, to, um, for the, for the summary on, on the project that's being done there. And so, um, yeah, she got me in touch with the, um, the, the copywriter and.
We, um, exchanged numbers and, and, you know, started what I think is a really great relationship. And, um, so I did the voiceover for, for, for this group. Um, absolutely. They absolutely loved my voice. And now this video for USAID is actually going to be shown. Sometime within the next week or so at the largest conference for, uh, for climate change initiatives in Egypt.
Wow! So I'm, yeah, so I'm really, really excited about it. Oh, listen to that! She's worldwide! She's worldwide! Worldwide! You're like Pitbull. Yeah, right, right. That's awesome. That is so cool. Like, I'm sure, you know, here you were, you were getting this opportunity. The last thing you expected was that your voice was going to be playing a video in Egypt.
Right. Exactly, exactly. I was like, okay, this is, this was not what I was expecting at all. That is awesome. That is awesome. So, well, and you're right, like that is a great relationship right there that you've built. Uh, you know, when they have something else that comes up that you're going to, they're going to need a voice for if they already like you.
They've already reached out to me. There you go. See what I mean? Yeah, they've already reached out to me. That's why those relationships are so important. I've had people ask about the radio work that I'm doing and, and like, you know, how do I get radio work? It's like, well, I don't, I don't know what to tell you because these, these are opportunities that came to me.
Like I didn't, these are relationships I had built already. People that I've worked with or. Have known and just had a relationship with and they knew what I was going to provide and they wanted me. Uh, you know, so it's like, I wish I could tell you like, right, here's how you could instantly get radio or exactly not how it works.
Like, you've got to do the hustle and I've been hustling for almost 20 years. So it's like. You know, I've, I've built a lot of relationships and you're, you're on that trek and you're seeing why it's so important. Exactly. Exactly. Beautiful. Well, is there a place that if somebody wanted to, that's listening right now that wanted to go ahead and hear what you did?
Is there like, is it like an easy website that you can throw out there right now? If you go to, um, Emanuela Delva dot, I can voice. All one word. com. Um, yeah, you could check out, um, my demo and, um, I will eventually also start posting up some additional, um, this one video that I, that I just did, um, put it up there so we can hear it because, you know, that's, that's what you want to do.
You want to showcase yourself. And in these projects, when you get them pop up, it's not, you don't always get the final project. Like that's the thing. Sometimes when you ask for it, you don't always get it. Cause I know that I asked for one that I recently did. And I'm like cricket cricket, but I want it because I don't do that all the time.
Um, I'm going to have to ask again. Uh, but we'll listen to Manuela. I'm glad that we can hop on here today and get you on the podcast and share your story and your experience. You're being a rock star. You're worldwide. I'm so proud of my, my, my coaching heart is, is so much Marissa. I really, really appreciate all of the words of encouragement.
Like from the very beginning, you have been just like. an amazing, yeah, mentor and, and friend. And so I really appreciate all that you've done to help me to get to this point. So I got you girl. We all do. So don't like, Hey, when you've got questions, you already know you reach out, got you. All right. And uh, if anybody's got questions or anything that they want us to discuss here on the podcast.
Info at voice coaches. com and a brand new episode is coming your way coming up next week. Stay safe everybody Visit voice coaches. com for more voiceover news and information
This week on Voice Coaches Radio, Marissa chats with former VC student, Emmanuella Delva! She recorded her first demo not even a year ago and is currently diving into the voice over world all on her own! Hear the steps she took and more!
