You may catch Multilingual Black Non-Binary Voice Actor André Santana narrating an award-winning audiobook in his professional New York City broadcast quality studio or, when he’s on a much needed break, world-building in Fortnite while eating his favorite Thai food. If you’re looking for a passionate voice talent whose keen sense of character creation and lived experience tells stories across queer, Black, and immigrant communities, then you’ve found André!
Originally from Brazil and raised in Seattle, André began college at only 16 years old in the Berkshires studying psychology and biosocial studies. Although dreams of becoming a professor eventually changed to a full time career in voice over, he hasn’t looked back.
As an “older Gen-Z”, his warm and youthful tone truly connects with younger audiences. He’s been an Audie-winning narrator of Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle, Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here by Jonathan Blitzer, and Sito by Laurence Ralph. In addition to his skillful storytelling and an approachable tone, he can easily pivot to serious political spots warning voters about opposing candidates. His versatility also allows him to use Portuguese and conversational Spanish for multilingual work like e-learning, corporate narration, or commercials.
If you’re looking for a professional award-winning Black, Latinx, and non-binary voice actor with heart and range who is ready to tell your story, André Santana is your next hire! To learn even more about André check out his Blue Wave page and his website.
- Tell us a little about your broadcast-quality home studio. Where is it? What kind of equipment do you have? What do you like about it?
I have my home studio in my room, and it’s a Studiobricks (which has been decked out in stickers and plastic plants). I use a Rode NT1, Scarlett Focusrite and a Presonus Channel Strip. I love that with the stickers, neon lights, all the trimmings, it feels like home for me! I’ve recorded hundreds of hours in there and love what I’ve made of it.
- What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I was on the road to academia before I made my way to voiceover. I’ve written a lengthy thesis, was a Fullbright finalist, applied to graduate schools, and had visions of becoming a professor. But to be so real, I’m grateful that path wasn’t right for me. Every day doing voiceover brings me so much joy.
- How did you get into voiceover work?
Not only do I primarily work in audiobooks, but audiobooks were my entryway! I started on ACX then expanded with cartoons, commercials, and dubbing until I’d done a little bit of every genre.
- Do you remember the first voiceover job you ever did?
How could I forget! It was an audiobook called Evocatus, and I got to talk with the author, learn a southern accent, and had so much fun working on it. I did not enjoy editing the book, but that was a quickly learned lesson.
- What can you offer to a new client who’s working with you for the first time?
I think the biggest thing is patience and versatility! I completely understand when the unexpected happens, or more common yet, the project has to move by the seam of its pants and not everything is ironed out. I feel grounded in my experience in those situations and love being able to offer a variety of reads as we’re assessing what the spot is going to become.
- What has been your favorite voiceover project – political or otherwise – to date?
Honestly, I’m so blessed to primarily work in books because some of the projects I’ve narrated have been outright favorites of mine. A highly political novel, It’s Not The End of the World by Jonathan Parks-Ramage, is one of my latest favorites, exploring the lives of a rich Californian couple in 2044 as the world falls apart, and what our future might hold.
- What is your biggest voiceover pet peeve?
I’m a business-oriented person, so I’ll keep it real. I’ve run into a few clients who want me to overcharge, underdeliver, and then really want me to feel bad for not further discounting my services and offering things beyond the scope of my job. I love making recommendations when I’m not the right fit for something, and when a client treats me well, I want to treat them well, too! Nothing means more to me than my experience and boundaries being respected.
- If you could tell political voiceover clients one thing that would help you do your job better, or help them get what they want faster – what would that one thing be?
References can change everything! Sometimes I get directions from someone who might not share language with me around how they want the spot to sound or what they’d like me to adjust. Those kinds of descriptors can be challenging, especially on the fly in a live session. If you’ve heard something else, have a clip, a scratch, any kind of reference that can help us get there, then I can usually match it and bring us over the finish line.
- What advice do you have for talents who want to do political voiceover?
I will say that working along your values often feels empowering and important. I think it’s the whole spirit of Blue Wave! A candidate might come along with an enticing offer that is in opposition to what you want to achieve in the world, and if it doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to move on.
- What hobbies do you have outside of your voiceover work?
Lately, I’ve been getting into fiction writing, Polaroid photography, and the usual dose of video games. I am actively on the hunt for my next tattoo to add to the cartoon-based sleeve on my right arm, and the plant-based sleeve on my left.
- Any final thoughts?
I’ll leave you with a quote from a favorite show of mine, Steven Universe that got me through my senior thesis, first jobs out of college, and some of the hardest projects I’ve been on so far: If every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hot dogs!