New faces, new people, new stories — this is New Voices.
New Voices is back for a second season. A feeling of excitement arose while planning for The Booth’s new cycle of stories... which slowly transformed into where should we focus our attention? How can we find these inspirational new voices?
Well, in this New Voices, we highlight the story of young Gabrielle Paquette. A 10-year-old 🇨🇦 voice actor who's relatively new to Voice123, but is making outstanding progress.
How did Gabrielle discover her passion for voice acting?
Steve: “I have my own communication agency where we do a lot of voice overs. Lately, I equipped myself with sound equipment, professional microphones, and all that.
And one day, I turned to Gabrielle and said, “come on, sing something in front of the microphone to help me test it out.” Then I said to her, “read from this book” and it was there that I realized how talented she was. At first, it was a bit difficult for her because she’s shy. But then I discovered that in front of the microphone, she was able to speak well and articulate every word.
Obviously she sometimes gets stressed out and a little scared about the final result, but at the same time, she likes it a lot and this allows us to work together and do a good job.”
It’s pretty obvious at first that Gabrielle is very shy, but that doesn’t stop her from listening keenly to every question and every answer her dad gives. We watch her closely, expecting to understand the nature of a shy kid that at just 10 years old, seemed to stand in front of a microphone without fear. So, we decided to turn some of the attention towards her.
What other interests do you have (Gabrielle) and Steve, how do you help her pursue them?
Gabrielle looks shyly at her dad and starts whispering. She thinks for a few seconds as he patiently waits for her to answer. This small interaction surprises us and we start to feel like something really special is happening here.
Gabrielle: “I like to do crafts with cardboards. Also sewing.”
Steve: “She likes to draw too.“
What’s your favorite thing about becoming a voice actor as a kid?
Gabrielle: “I like to make cheerful voices. I also like to edit when we record, when we take the best parts of what I record… and.. yes, I do love to edit what was recorded.”
What do you want to be when you grow up? (Gabrielle)
Gabrielle: “I would like to continue doing voice acting and become a professional, and I would also like to learn about how to better care for the planet.”
After that, Gabrielle goes on and tells us more about the kind of equipment she has at home. She’s proud of her set-up, like every professional voice actor when talking about their gear.
Gabrielle: “We have a microphone, some headphones, there is also a computer for editing afterwards.”
Steve: “I can go deeper into this. We have a Neumann TLM 103 microphone, we also have a booth. I have a studio at my agency where we record. Besides this, we work with Adobe Audition, which is not bad at all because it has good configurations.”
As the conversation advances and much of the father-daughter relationship is revealed, we really start to understand how the dynamic between Steve and Gabrielle goes and what the real intention is behind their decision to start doing voice overs.
Steve: “Maybe she will do this professionally in the future, but right now, it’s all about having fun and but also…for her to feel proud of what she is capable of. But I can tell you that we do take it very seriously, we practice, but we always ensure that the sound is always impeccable.”
Maybe she will do this professionally in the future, but right now, it’s all about having fun and but also...for her to feel proud of what she is capable of. - Steve Paquette Click To TweetWe go on and congratulate them both, because it seems like what these two have achieved, it’s completely outstanding. And no, it has little to do with the intelligence, skill or expertise we were expecting to discuss in this interview (aptitudes that we have no doubt that Gabrielle possesses), but a whole lot to do with family. With connection. With finding something in common that turns them into equals.
We live in times where abilities and worldly gifts are extremely celebrated, but it’s often forgotten that even the greatest minds only really achieved something after someone had the courage to believe in them.
In this case, Steve’s daily work with Gabrielle is the biggest example that infinite support and guidance can only turn into talent. It only made sense to end this interview asking a fantastic family for some advice.
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to learn more about voice acting?
Gabrielle: “I would tell them to have fun and to articulate their words!”
Steve: “I would advise them that yes…equipment is important. But to take this as a family activity. It’s not the most well-paid thing, but the time I spend with my daughter also represents part of the value. It’s really an activity like any other. Some people play games with their kids, this is what I chose to do with her. We have fun together.”
Do you think voice acting can be an activity to spend more time as a family? That other people could also motivate their children to learn more about voice acting?
Steve: I would say yes, you can motivate your kids, but do not force them. More than a mandate, it’s just showing them the real compromise behind the product. And it will become a way of giving them values. There’s a big responsibility in this, which you can also combine with having fun while doing it. That’s what you have to teach them.”
We end the interview with the promise to keep in touch with Gabrielle’s journey, because even though she is just 10 years old, we couldn’t shake the feeling that this is just the start for these two. But also, the start of a generation of new voices that won’t just be talented, loud, and skilled, but also deeply loved.
And that shapes not just great voice actors, but great humans.
Special thanks to Gabrielle and Steve Paquette for sharing their experiences!
Check out Gabrielle's profile here! And listen to her most recent work:
Check out our new section with tips and advice as we bring you Ask the pros
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