Listen to this article
Choose a voice you enjoy hearing, then work out how you want it to say your name. You might like a quiet, close-up read, a shout or a playful sung line. Tone and rhythm can guide the choice; your taste decides which vocalist feels right.
Listen for tone and texture
Play a few previews and notice which voices you want to hear again. Then describe what caught you: a rounded low end, a bright edge, a rough texture or a breathy sound. Pitch is how high or low the voice sounds; texture is its character.
With any of the reels, choose one moment you like and finish this sentence: “I would want my name to have that same…” Your answer might be warmth, bite, softness or something you describe in your own words. It gives you a reason to keep that voice on your shortlist.
Listen past the echo and backing music. If the processing makes the voice difficult to judge, ask for a clearer example. Keep your playback volume roughly consistent between reels so a louder recording does not make the choice for you.
Choose how you want the words said
Delivery is the performance: spoken, whispered, shouted, sung, deadpan or teasing. You can like a voice while wanting a different attitude from the one in its reel. Look for a reading close to your idea, or ask whether the vocalist can perform it.
Speed is how quickly the words go past. Cadence is the pattern of stresses and pauses. Tawny Platis’s short demonstrates different voice-over styles: listen for the changes in pace and attitude, held vowels and gaps. Those choices can give a short phrase a different character.[1]
Try the fictional phrase “Luma made this.” Say “LUMA made this” with the name carrying the accent, then try “Luma MADE this.” Leave a pause after “Luma” on the next take. The words stay the same while the character and rhythm change.
Write down the word you want to stress and whether the line should feel relaxed or urgent. A calm voice can work over a hard beat if you like that contrast. Genre and gender labels cannot tell you which performance you will prefer.
Give a direction the performer can use
In Saturday Night Live’s “Album Recording Session,” Dua Lipa and Ego Nwodim play voice actors helping the fictional Young Spicy record a tag. The awkward session is comedy; use it as a reminder to agree on the words and character of your own performance.[2]
Give the vocalist something they can try: “Say the first word quietly, pause, then stress my name.” If you want a softer read, explain whether you mean a whisper, less force or a slower pace.
Point to a moment in their reel and say what you like about it: the pause, the energy or the stretched final syllable. Ask whether they can carry that quality into your phrase. Say if ad-libs are welcome, and keep the spoken words separate from your instructions.
Put your choice into a short brief
Write the exact spoken phrase on its own line, with pronunciation and performance notes underneath. A spelling that looks obvious to you may suggest a different pronunciation to the vocalist. Send a short recording of your name if that helps.
If a language or accent matters, check that the vocalist can deliver it before booking. Confirm that they understand the reference and the style you want. The fictional example beside this section shows how to turn a preference into a recording brief.
Example brief · fictional producer name
Words to record
“Luma made this.”
Pronunciation
Luma sounds like LOO-mah. I have attached a short recording of the name.
Performance
Conversational and confident. Stress “Luma,” leave a small pause after the name, and keep the final two words short.
Alternate read
If possible, try a second take with a more playful delivery. Please confirm before recording.