Two Studios, One Marketplace: Alexandra McTavish and Xavi Parellada on Life at The Voice Realm

Every week thousands of auditions arrive at The Voice Realm from studios all over the world. Behind each one is a real person with a microphone, a booth and a story about how they got here. This month we asked two of the voices clients keep coming back to the same six questions about how The Voice Realm fits into their working lives. Their answers were honest, a little funny in places, and full of advice for anyone thinking about joining.

Alexandra McTavish works from her home studio in Brisbane, Australia, in Australian, British, American and Transatlantic accents, and has been on The Voice Realm since August 2017. Hear Alexandra’s demos.

Xavi Parellada records voice over and dubbing in Spanish and Catalan from his studio in Spain, and directs and produces ads too. Hear Xavi’s demos.

Life before, and life after

Alexandra has been with us so long she struggles to remember the before. After more than twenty years as an actor, voice over was something she dabbled in rather than chased. Then life changed, and she decided to reinvent herself.

“The Voice Realm quickly became an integral part of my daily workflow, opening doors to new opportunities, international projects and clients I simply wouldn’t have found on my own.”

Alexandra McTavish

Nearly a decade on, she says it still connects her with “a world of possibilities.” Xavi describes the change in more practical terms. For him it was about how the work is managed once it starts arriving from other countries.

“The Voice Realm brought a level of transparency, global reach, and streamlined workflow that completely changed how I manage my international bookings.”

Xavi Parellada

The whole world, from one booth

Ask Alexandra what she loves most and the answer comes back in two words: the opportunities. Voice over used to be a local business. Australians voiced for Australia, Americans for the US, Brits for the UK. Not any more.

© The Voice Realm

“The Voice Realm has helped make my world bigger, my work more varied and my career more flexible than I could ever have imagined.”

Alexandra McTavish

She also has a confession: she prefers it to acting on screen. “I can come to the mic just as I am, without the pomp and ceremony of a film set,” she says, “and there’s something incredibly freeing about that.” And there’s a bonus she didn’t expect. Her voice doesn’t necessarily age along with her.

Xavi loves the efficiency. From the audition to client messages to secure payment, he says everything is handled professionally, “allowing me to focus entirely on what I do best: performance and audio quality.”

The favourite job? That’s like picking a favourite child

Alexandra refused to name one, and fair enough. Video games stretch her acting muscles. eLearning gives her steady, reliable work. Corporate reads suit her voice best. What she really lives for is a feeling, not a title.

“When my interpretation matches their vision so perfectly that I get goosebumps listening back, that’s the magic.”

Alexandra McTavish

Xavi picked a kind of job rather than a single booking: international corporate narration and commercial campaigns where the client gives him room to create. “There’s a special thrill in nailing the exact emotional tone on the first take,” he told us, “and knowing it will resonate with audiences worldwide.”

Photo: Xavi Parellada

What the clients are like

Both of them came back to the same word: professional. Xavi calls the clients “outstanding,” and says they’re respectful and clear about what they want, which turns one off jobs into long term relationships.

Alexandra put it in terms of trust. The jobs are real, the deadlines are clear, the fees are out in the open and there’s no endless back and forth over quotes. Projects close when they say they will, and payment is prompt.

“Clients can find you, listen to your work and book you, without you having to navigate unwanted personal messages or feel obliged to engage with them.”

Alexandra McTavish

That one matters to her as a woman working in the industry. Keeping all the talk on the site, with a professional distance between client and voice actor, means “the focus stays where it should be: on the work.” It’s exactly why we built it that way.

The part of the site that saves them time

For Alexandra it’s the curated stream of castings. Because she works in four accents, getting briefs that genuinely fit, instead of wading through dozens that don’t, is a huge time saver. The list is manageable enough that she can consider every single one. “I can spend less time hunting for opportunities,” she says, “and more time doing what I love: voicing them.”

Photo: Alexandra McTavish

Xavi points to the audition notifications and the booking system, and to clear project details. When an invitation lands, everything he needs is already there, so he can turn around a broadcast ready file fast.

The last word

© The Voice Realm

Neither of them is shy about it. Alexandra says the days of waiting for an agent to find you work are long gone, and clients increasingly look for voices directly. If you’re not where they’re looking, you could miss out on great work and lasting international relationships.

VOICEMASTERACADEMYTwenty modules, one at a time.Breath controlHome studioCommercial techniqueAuditionsStart module oneNo experience needed.

She also wants to bust a myth: you don’t have to be everything to everyone. “Every voice is unique, and your point of difference is your greatest asset,” she says. “In a world where AI can generate endless voices, bringing genuine personality, nuance and human connection to a read has never been more valuable.”

Xavi’s advice is shorter and just as direct: bring your A game, invest in a clean acoustic setup, and let The Voice Realm connect you with “a global market that values true professional standards.”

In short

• Both work with clients across several continents from their own home studios.
• Both rate the clients as professional, clear and respectful.
• Castings matched to their voice save hours of searching.
• All talk stays on the site, which keeps things safe and professional.
• Their advice: back what makes your voice different, and get started.

Thank you to Alexandra and Xavi for answering our questions so generously. You can hear their demos on their profiles: Alexandra McTavish and Xavi Parellada.

Want your voice heard around the world? Join real human voice actors like Alexandra and Xavi and get matched castings straight to your inbox. Become a Voice Realm voice actor.