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She Just Did It: Santia St. Surain’s
Bold Leap into Voice Acting.
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–By Kayla Bowles, February 2, 2024
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Hello SOVAS™ readers! My guest for today is voice actor and fashion model Santia St. Surain, one of the 2024 Stella Adler scholarship winners! Santia, thank you for taking the time to speak with me! You have such an inspiring background and mission that I know actors and voice actors will connect with deeply. First, let me congratulate you on winning the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences’ Scholarship to study at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre. This program has shaped many of today’s top stars. What does this opportunity mean to you?
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Santia: Thank you first and foremost for the invite to be interviewed. To answer your question, I am so grateful for SOVAS™ and the Stella Adler Academy. This has been the opportunity I have been waiting on. I literally applied for ALL the SOVAS™ competitions for 2024. I knew what was meant to for me would be for me. I just had to put the effort in…Or they (SOVAS™) would start to wonder who this woman was applying for any and everything under the sun! Here I am, one half of the scholarship recipients to the Stella Adler Academy 2025! This opportunity is just the beginning to get the ball rolling on my voice over acting journey. Once again, thank you to everyone involved for this incredible opportunity.
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Kayla: Could you tell us where you currently are in your voice acting journey and how you expect your training at Stella Adler to support your goals? What kind of personal transformation do you hope to experience during this program?
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Santia: Great question! Initially, the idea of pursuing VO sparked in 2022. I found a coach and recorded a commercial/narration demo, but I moved slowly, as the country was still recovering from the pandemic and my daytime job is in the airline industry. COVID was a massive blow to the airline industry, so I knew I had to ensure my finances were in order before pursuing VO.
Becoming a student at Stella Adler Academy will amplify my voice acting skill set because acting is at the core of it all. Personally, the transformation has already begun, at least my address. As of March, I will be an L.A. resident, and I’m looking forward to it. A new place. A new city. New possibilities. No time like the present. Besides, rumor has it L.A. is “the city of dreams,” after all.
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Kayla: For context, you earned this scholarship by attending the That’s Voiceover! Career Expo (TVO), which emphasizes traditional acting as a cornerstone of voice acting. How did you first learn about TVO and the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences?
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Santia: I first heard about SOVAS™ from a podcast by a VO veteran, Mr. Tre Mosley, titled “Take time out with Tre Mosley.” As a person of color, he was the only one I knew of telling the real truth about VO in a podcast. I had met a couple of his guests from VOcation, another VO conference I previously attended. Tre’s interview with Joan Baker, the co-founder of SOVAS™ , was compelling and heartfelt about the realities of being a VO actor. Immediately, I bought Joan’s first book and joined SOVAS™ as a member. There was no turning back. Everything seemed to align. To apply for the scholarship, I not only had to attend TVO, but I also had to write a short essay. I think the criteria was that it had be 100 words or less. Basically, be brief and brilliant!
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Kayla: How has winning this scholarship started to shape your perspective and career outlook as you envision your future?
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Santia: After winning the scholarship, I knew my VO skills would grow to be on another level. I’ve never taken acting classes before, and VO is more than a good sounding voice. It’s about the performance. Does it seem real? These are skills I need from the Stella Adler Academy.
As cheesy as it sounds, I know my future is something to stay tuned for. No longer will I hold back from my own greatness. Greatness is a gift but also carries a burden to teach. I will utilize all the tools I have learned along the way and remember to always give back when I can.
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Kayla: Was there a point when you knew that voice acting would become an undeniable, lifelong passion or it more a matter of being one extraordinary tool in your creative toolbox?
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Santia: Acting and voice acting isn’t just something I want to just do as a hobby. It is something in me that makes me need to want to perform. I tried to deny it, because of how oversaturated and competitive it is, but there’s only one of me, and I know I’m kind of special! Just wait and see…stay tuned!
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Kayla: The consensus in the voiceover profession is that breaking in begins with becoming adept at performing commercial voice acting, as in TV and radio spots – that agents won’t take you without this skill. So, this is a two-part question; Is that the route you’re taking, and what voiceover genres are you most interested in pursuing?
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Santia: Yes, it’s true commercial spots sell and are profitable for everyone. But I can’t go into it thinking about what I will get out of it. It is truly a creative skill set that must be honed by time and coaching. I’m currently still exploring more VO genres to know what I like best, but I know the basics, and as they say, “the sky’s the limit”!
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Kayla: Is there a specific genre of voice acting that challenges you but sparks your curiosity to explore further?
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Santia: The VO business itself is what’s challenging. In fact, becoming an entrepreneur isn’t for the weak, no matter what business anyone decides to pursue. I just knew for a fact I wanted to play, by stretching my voice and seriously knowing where I can take it. Creatively, voice acting is like Halloween, I can be anyone behind the mic, just as if I put on a costume.
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From the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences
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Kayla: Speaking of entrepreneurship, what has been the most challenging aspect of managing the business side of this industry for you?
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Santia: As I said, entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Your hours are beyond the typical 9 to 5. The key is being consistent in everything you do. You have to wear many hats, and it isn’t about just the skills you bring. You have to be able to think outside of the box. That can lead to work that is “untraditional,” but it’s still a job in my book. So, who cares if I get to do what I love for a living.
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Kayla: If you could share just one sentence that truly captures your voiceover style, what would it be, and why does it resonate with you?
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Santia: Nike said it best; “Just Do It®.” I don’t have a specific style just yet; I’m just taking opportunities as they come my way. Whatever I think is best for me is my best and all I have to do is believe it. Don’t overthink, just be present, here and now. It’s a gift.
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Kayla: What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken so far in your voiceover career, and what did you learn from that experience?
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Santia: Biggest risk…moving to LA. I knew LA has been the place to make it in show business. That or New York, but after enduring Chicago winters and being a Florida girl, it felt like my best choice would be to give LA a try. After winning the scholarship, it was a no brainer.
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Kayla: Have you ever received advice or criticism that was difficult to hear at first, but later proved to be instrumental in your growth as a voice actor?
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Santia: Hearing any criticism is hard as a creative because you think everything you do is the best thing. But I’m learning how to take constructive criticism so I can deliver. The most difficult criticism I received was that my first demo reel didn’t have range, that it all sounded the same. And it did. There must be a variety and spice to it that catches the audience, or you lose them! I’m currently working on making another demo with my mentor, Melique Berger with Berger Reels.
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Kayla: As a final, and hopefully fun element, I’m going to ask you some rapid-fire questions? This is a bit like a game show and the questions come from the late celebrity interviewer James Lipton. We can call it the Lipton Challenge:
What is your favorite word?
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Santia: Sheep! As a kid, I thought it sounded close to an infamous cuss word.
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Kayla: What is your least favorite word?
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Santia: No.
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Kayla: What sound or noise do you love?
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Santia: The beginning of the ESPN theme song. It’s so catchy!
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Kayla: What sound or noise do you hate?
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Santia: An alarm clock going off.
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Kayla: What is your favorite food?
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Santia: Anything Italian.
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Kayla: What is your least favorite food?
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Santia: Shrimp, I’m allergic.
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Kayla: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
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Santia: Writing for a scripted television show or being a standup comedian
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Kayla: What profession would you most not like to do?
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Santia: Anything related to cleaning
-and for anyone intersted in acting
Kayla: Santia, thank you again for talking with me! And for anyone interested in checking out the incredible training offered at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre, just click the link for all the exciting details.♦♦♦
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Kayla Bowles is assistant to Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker, founders of the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences™ (SOVAS™), creators of That’s Voiceover!™ Career Expo, and the Voice Arts® Awards. She currently studies the art of voice acting with Joan Baker, and has studied with Real Voice L.A., The Acting Studio, and Broadway Evolved. Though new to the voiceover business, Kayla has already booked a local TV commercial, a role in an indie animated series (in development), and has lent her voice to various passion projects. She is currently an undergrad at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY.
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From the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences
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