Issa Lopez is a bilingual Voiceover Artist specializing in English and Spanish imaging for radio stations across the country. Her relationship with the microphone started in her teen years as a professional singer. She was later hired for radio by Clear Channel in 2005 as they were experimenting with a bilingual format in Denver.
“It was absolutely perfect for me going from English to Spanish on the air, says Lopez. “It was amazing… it lasted almost 15 years. I’m very grateful… in 2005, my Program Director at the time gave me a shot at voicing a Spanish radio station in Florida, and I still have that station to this day.”
“I started to audition for more and more stations, and with time and relationships that I’ve built in the radio industry, I’ve been able to maintain a successful radio imaging career, which I’m absolutely passionate about, especially because I can do it in both languages, English and Spanish.”
“I’ve been doing this full-time since 2016 now; it’s amazing how time has passed. I live on the outskirts of Colorado Springs, and I have a full-blown voiceover studio where I provide radio imaging, commercials, promos, and more. I do a lot with my voice. You’d be surprised how many things need a voice.”
“I think everybody’s radio imaging journey is different… For me, the key qualification to be an A+ imaging talent starts with reliability. You have to be available for a quick turnaround and find your own style in it. I’m sure that if you want to start doing radio imaging, there are for sure iconic voices you admire, but find your own unique sound. It will pay off in the end.”
“You also need to be knowledgeable of the radio industry,” insists Lopez. “I was a radio personality for 15 years. I find this to be an asset because I know how incredibly hard it is to keep a radio station going and how many people are involved to make it successful, so with that in mind, I know what Program Directors, and General Managers need from me to make the stations sound the best they possibly can.”
“What I’ve personally learned about the Voice Over business in the past few years is that ‘I’m enough’… what I mean by that is… I used to try to be like other successful people in the Voiceover business… try to be more like them, but the minute I started to audition, just being myself is when the floodgates opened for me as far as Voiceover gigs and opportunities. I think Producers out there know what sounds genuine, and although there can be acting involved, just be yourself and adapt to the role. You’re auditioning in your own way.”
According to Lopez, there are so many advantages to being a bilingual talent. “Let’s just be honest, there is nothing like booking a Voice Over gig and finding out you’ve booked both the English and Spanish campaigns. Not only is it something to be incredibly proud about, but your bank account won’t be complaining either, LOL.”
“When Program Directors approach me, it’s usually because they are in a market where they have a lot of Hispanics, and I think as a local radio station, everybody wants to connect with their community, and that’s where I come in. I have a very relatable style, a very personable style. It’s vibrant, it’s alive.. but most importantly, it’s real and I think being real will never go out of style.”
Lopez admits that one of her biggest accomplishments in the field so far is booking gigs in male-dominated voiceover industries. “To be specific, I’ve booked promo gigs for the NFL, which is amazing that they’re using more women now. I think this is such a good thing. And just a few weeks ago, I booked a gig with MLB. It’s super exciting to me that we are breaking barriers as women using our voices.”
As far as accomplishments in the radio imaging world, Lopez is also proud of all the new Christian stations she’s acquired. “It is truly a passion of mine,” she says. “I think the world needs to have more positivity, and the fact that I can help in that when it comes to positive messaging is an honor for me.”
And her biggest accomplishment over the years was being handpicked to voice Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour. “I was like, IS THIS REALLY happening!?!” Lopez exclaims. “And she shared it with over 100 million people!”
The voiceover business doesn’t come without its challenges. “My biggest has been tech.” Lopez explains. “What I mean is I don’t know what I would do if it wasn’t for my husband being around in case something goes wrong, whether it’s with some type of audio gear or computer, etc. I freak out and lose my mind in fear.. so I am taking some more technical classes that are teaching me to navigate the studio a bit better on my own.”
I asked Lopez what was missing from the radio imaging business right now. “So this is just a personal opinion,” she prefaces, “But I really think that News radio should use more women and should be more open-minded to having younger voices represent news media. I think that they would be surprised how many of us are interested in news.”
“Back when I was little, I used to think the news was just for my parents and my grandparents. I don’t think that exists anymore. I think news outlets have evolved among all ages. “I watch it now all the time, especially with everything that’s going on in the world right now. I just think that all news affiliates on radio and TV should think more outside the box and hire younger voices.”
As for what’s ahead for Lopez: “I think I want to look into mentoring more, especially when it comes to youth. I was a foster kid myself. I had a very rough childhood, and I never forgot the folks who made me feel like I mattered. NEVER!”
“I recently had a Zoom with a young lady who’s autistic, and she really wants to be a voice actor. I was able to lift her spirits up and tell her that she’s enough and that she can do this if she puts all of her effort into it. I don’t think we can ever have enough positive mentoring. I don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for people who believed in me and told me that I could do it.”
Follow Issa Lopez on Instagram @IssaVoice and LinkedIn. Contact her via IssaVoice.com or by email.
