Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Marince.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
First of all, thank you for the opportunity to tell my story!
I have been performing in one form or another my entire life. As a child my parents enrolled me in local musical theater classes at the CLO (Civic Light Opera) in Pittsburgh, PA; I was hooked after my first class!
My younger brother, younger sister, and I trained as competitive Irish Step Dancers growing up. We spent years traveling all over the United States, Canada, and Ireland competing and performing. We still pull out our step dancing shoes at family gatherings and weddings- we actually just performed at my wedding in November.
During my teen years, I fell in love with country music and started performing shows around my hometown. Pittsburgh has a surprisingly large country music scene; all of the big names would come through and the country radio stations were really supportive of local artists. I actually missed my high school graduation because I was performing an opening set at the Kenny Chesney concert at Heinz Field!
After graduating from a performing arts high school, I moved to Nashville, TN to pursue singing and songwriting. I spent 8 years honing my craft and really finding myself as a performer. While there, I had two singles land on the music charts (“Can’t a Girl Change Her Mind” & “In The Meantime”), I was interviewed by Billboard Magazine, I recorded two albums and opened for artists like Martina McBride, Taylor Swift, and Clay Walker. I also got to walk in New York Fashion Week which was a dream come true!
When I was 26, I decided to make the move to Orlando, FL where I focused more on on-camera work. I guest-hosted for HSN (The Home Shopping Network) and worked on-camera for companies like ESPN, Walt Disney World, Walmart, Royal Caribbean, and Marriott. A lot of the on-camera work I was doing would require voiceover work which bring us to where I am today.
My first voiceover job was in 2008 for a tri-state restaurant chain called Eatn’ Park. I became the face of their brand for nearly 8 years and although my work for them was mostly on-camera, they utilized my voice in the recording studio to record their radio spots. For a number of years, Eatn’ Park was the only voiceover client, but when I moved to Florida and started recording more, I began to wonder if this could be a full-time thing!
I explored the voiceover world online and decided to take some workshops and work with a private coach. After months of coaching, I was ready to have my voiceover demo created and I started auditioning like crazy! I also started creating my home studio. My dad is in the radio industry and knows all about sound and studios, so I was fortunate to have him help me convert a spare bedroom and turn it into a fully functioning, sound-treated studio! It took some time to build it out, but in the end, it was perfect. I spent my days auditioning, I attended a few voiceover conferences, and made some amazing friends in the “VO world!”
In April of 2020, it all paid off.
I had taken an online voiceover workshop where one of the managers from ACM Talent (the top management company in voiceover) was the guest instructor. A few days after the meeting I received a call from that manager asking if I would be interested in talking with them regarding representation (Ummm, YES! ACM had been on my vision board!)
I had a few rounds of meetings with the team and eventually signed with them! It’s the best career move I’ve ever made.
Over the years I have been so fortunate to record for companies like Invisalign, Peloton, Olive Garden, Sony & Walt Disney World. One of my favorite parts about voiceover is that you never know what client or job is around the corner…every day is different.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
For anyone who is thinking of getting into the entertainment industry…you have to have a thick skin! Rejection is a big part of every aspect of performing.
In Nashville, I stood in front of countless music industry execs and sang my heart out for them. Some of them loved it and some of them didn’t. And they will tell you what they don’t like while you’re standing right there – Not just with your music, but with your looks as well – it can take a toll on your mental health, that’s for sure.
It’s hard when you pour your heart and soul into a song, an audition tape, or a voiceover audition and it gets rejected by the decision-makers. It’s taken years for me to toughen up and not take everything personally. I had to learn NOT to read the comments on YouTube and Twitter – it’s not healthy!
When you put the work in and are passionate about what you do, you will eventually land where you need to be. Surround yourself with supportive people and know that if there are people dragging you down, it’s probably because they would love to be doing what you’re doing!
It’s taken some time for me to become confident and own who I am as a performer. I am blessed to have two extremely supportive parents and my husband who cheers me on daily.
When I doubt myself, I call my mom- she always knows what to say!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
First and foremost, I’m a voiceover artist. I spend my days in my home studio recording for numerous clients as well as auditioning for new ones.
One of my favorite parts of working from home is having my dog Honey, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel next to me all day. I joke that she is my business manager- she gets her 10% in treats!
I also love that I can record from anywhere. I always travel with a mini version of my studio because you just never know when a job will come in. It made the move from Orlando to Dallas pretty easy!
I specialize in commercial, eLearning, live announcing and have dabbled in animation. I voiced my first animated character for a video game that is slated to launch in the spring.
I still exercise my singing muscles with jingle singing. One of my favorite spots to date was a Christmas commercial for Olive Garden…I sang the “The 12 Days of Pasta” to the tune of “The 12 Days of Christmas.”
Walt Disney World is a place that is so near and dear to my heart. I grew up going to the parks every year for vacation, I worked in their entertainment department where I was “friends with” a few Disney princesses and I am now the voice of Hollywood Studios!
Hearing my voice as part of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary at Hollywood Studios this past year really was magical!
I recently had the opportunity to go to the parks with my family to hear my voice, an experience that is truly one of my proudest moments to date.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I love a good workshop and Atlanta Voiceover Studio has some great virtual class options. For pricing and rates I head to the GVAA Rate Guide. They are a great resource for all things voiceover and offer classes and coaching as well. I find that following fellow voice actors on IG and Facebook can be inspiring and motivating. The VO community is so welcoming and everyone I’ve met is willing to help!
Contact Info:
- Email: sarah@sarahmarince.com
- Website: sarahmarince.com
- Instagram: @sarahmarince
- Other: vimeo.com/sarahmarince
Image Credits
Eric Kinney
