Conversations with Arielle DeLisle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Arielle DeLisle.

Hi Arielle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been a creative person, guided by my enthusiastic curiosity. I learned to play 4 musical instruments before I was 12, was always a voracious reader and an excellent student, and poured myself into one of many forms of artistic expression whenever given the space to create.

I doggedly pursued avenues of learning that spoke to my passions. I was obsessed with our early 90’s era family computer, tape recorder and videocamera, appropriating them for my audio and video projects. While still in high school, I was single-minded and persistent, and talked my way into a radio station to learn more about working on-air behind the microphone. That was the start of a 13 year career in broadcast radio.

I attended North Carolina State University, though I initially had my hopes dashed as I wasn’t accepted into their elite School of Design. I had to rethink what my college experience could be, so I explored my passions in other ways. While I sampled different academic paths to find the right fit, I spent a lot of time during my college years inside the student-run radio station, WKNC 88.1 FM. I learned the skillsets needed to work with a volunteer crew while I was their General Manager for 2 years. I was busy, juggling my studies and working at other radio stations, both on-air and doing audio production work.

My love of language and communication led me to earn a Bachelors degree in English Literature, Writing and Editing. My curiosity about the human mind, personalities and motivations drove me to earn my BA in General Psychology. I added minors in Spanish and Graphic Design, the latter allowing me to further dig into my interest in video production, as well.

After graduation, I became the wearer of many hats as Operations Manager of a small market radio station. I refined my focus to just voiceover and commercial production with my next 2 roles. I became the Production Manager of a small cluster of stations in eastern New Mexico, and then moved to Phoenix to become the Production Assistant for an esteemed 3 station cluster.

During the 4 years I spent in that role, I was dedicated to studying voice acting as I was booking more direct work and building a client base. I left radio and went full-time in voiceover in 2011 when my daughter was born. I supported my family on my voiceover business from my own studio, working for my own clients. By the time my son was born 2 years later, I had also become quite active working within the specialized world of audiobooks.

Now, with another dozen years invested in my creative career, I have over 170 audiobook credits to my name, as well as a few notable industry nominations and awards. I’ve worked in most areas of voiceover, including national commercial work, video games, all manner of corporate narration, eLearning, imaging for radio and podcasts, dubbing, animation and more.

I continue to say yes to side quests and new challenges. My voice has featured at live events both as the hidden Voice of God and the on-stage Emcee. Stepping out from behind the mic, I’ve also worked on-camera in commercials and corporate videos. I’ve spent over 5 years practicing improv and recently begun sketch comedy writing with my troupe. I’ve also been exploring my family’s culinary history, and this year opened a micro-bakery out of my home, “Sonoran Delights, Gluten Free Treats.” My authentic New York cheesecakes have become a frequent request around the holidays and I make other pastries and desserts.

My love for the Arts also found a good fit during my time as the Volunteer Coordinator for Alwun House, the volunteer-run, historic, inclusive art gallery and performance space at the heart of the original arts district in Phoenix. My video editing skills became ever more useful over the years as social media shifted to more video formats, and I’ve loved putting that to use for their content, as well as for my own projects.

Today, you can find me working from my Source Connect equipped home studio in Phoenix, with my kids and our cat, when I’m not baking, hiking or otherwise enjoying life in the desert southwest. My curiosity streak implores me to be a life-long learner, and I hear the ever-present calling of the various creative specialties I still want to explore more deeply. I’m represented by DPN-NY, Moore Talent, RSH and Leighton Agency.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve definitely had my share of struggles. Those periods of struggle can feel insurmountable, but every challenge I’ve overcome creates another example to my future self of my ability to get through something that feels impossible at the time. Mindset makes all the difference.

When my kids were just 1 and 3 years old, I went through a divorce. I didn’t have “single mom” on my vision board, so this unlocked a whole new set of challenges. It forced me to sharpen my time management skills even more. The first few years with 2 young kids were incredibly difficult – I went through a huge learning curve rebalancing my life and work, and I learned to ask for help. I was lucky that due to my regular clients and dependable projects, I could afford to hire an in-home caretaker that allowed me to continue doing the work I love and be down the hall from my kids until they started attending preschool.

The most surprising challenge in all of that was in letting go of what I had thought my career would look like. Just because my career was now moving at a different pace didn’t mean I was a failure; the circumstances of my life required me to act upon my priorities and not everything I wanted to do could get my energy. I had to become even more intentional in my work and whatever free time I might have. It wouldn’t necessarily be better or worse, but my career would certainly be on a new trajectory.

The pandemic also brought about a myriad of challenges. With my kids attending online school from home, there were a lot more interruptions in my workday to support them. The voiceover industry was flooded with newcomers who were working from home for the first time and hustling with voiceover on the side, and those lowballing on rates upset some of the pricing norms. At the same time as this influx of new talent appeared, several of the companies I’d regularly worked with went out of business, had to pull back on their advertising budgets or were bought out. That created a lot of instability in my business that took several years to overcome.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a full time voiceover pro with a commercial production background and 20+ years in the industry who shares joy in becoming the easiest part of any project. I work across all genres of voiceover: voice over for commercials (streaming, TV, radio), audiobooks, apps, eLearning and other non-broadcast, videogames, animation, toys, dubbing, imaging, IVR/on-hold, live and pre-recorded Voice of God and announcer. I’ve also been on stage as an event Emcee, and perform on-camera in commercials and industrial/training videos. I absolutely love the variety of things I do in service of my clients! Beyond just my basic voiceover services, I offer script writing assistance, fully produced (processed, EQ’d, etc) audio ready to drop into your project, voice sync to video, full broadcast-ready commercial audio, and retail-ready audiobooks. I also offer video demo production to my colleagues looking for a visual representation of their produced voice demos in certain genres.

I’m proud of my long term client relationships since I value their trust and being relied upon for consistency. I have a few client friends I’ve worked with for over 17 years! I’m also thrilled to celebrate when the industry recognizes work I’m proud of. My two most recent projects to be recognized were the Audie nomination for my co-narration of The Seven Day Switch, and my win for the Independent Book Publishers Association’s Best Fiction Audiobook for ReInception. That one was doubly special as I was both narrator and producer on that project.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
There’s a lot to love about Phoenix, and I think it comes down to finding your people. With nearly 5 million people in the metro area, it’s likely they’re here somewhere! The arts community downtown has a lot going on, and my favorite 3rd place is the historically inclusive, groundbreaking art gallery and events space, Alwun House. I also love being active and hiking with friends year round, though getting on the trails before 6a in the summer in order to beat the heat can be a challenge.

On the flip side, we have some of the worst drivers and most dangerous conditions for pedestrians in the US. Living in a large city in the desert is at times a losing battle against the elements, and there’s a lot that isn’t sustainable about how our resources are being managed in this part of the country. The cool pavement program and initiatives to plant more trees are an active part of the solution, but we need to be doing more. I’d also love to see more innovation when it comes to creating solutions for at-risk and unhoused populations, who are exposed to the elements more than anyone else.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://arielledelisle.com/
• Instagram: http://Instagram.com/arielledelisle/
• Facebook: http://Facebook.com/arielleaudio/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielledelisle/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/sonorandelightsgf/

Image Credits
Arielle DeLisle, Alwun House, IBPA, Jennifer Giralo