Power of Voice

Foreword by Academy Award-winner Mahershala Ali“A comprehensive masterpiece. . . . Throughout the course of my life, I have struggled to be heard. With Denise’s insightful tutelage and easy-to-apply techniques, I have not only managed to find my voice, but to powerfully express myself so others listen! If you want to feel inspired and completely empowered give yourself the gift of this beautiful read!”—Halle Berry, Academy Award-winning actorAn internationally renowned and highly sought-after Hollywood voice coach shares proven practices to help anyone utilize the often-untapped power of their own authentic voice.From a toddler's first words to professional public speaking, from a marriage proposal to asking for a raise, our voice is our most crucial instrument of expression. The world judges us by our voice. And yet there has been no authoritative guide to mastering its full capacity and expressing our true selves in every aspect of life, from relationships and family to work. Until now.As one of the nation’s most sought-after vocal coaches, Denise Woods has worked with everyone from Mahershala Ali, Will Smith, and Idris Elba to Kirsten Dunst and Jessica Chastain. In The Power of Voice, for the first time ever, Woods shares the secrets, tips, lessons, and stories that have helped Hollywood’s biggest stars become confident, effective communicators.Readers will learn how to:Articulate clearlyGain confidence in any situationRelease tension and stressAddress speech issues such as upspeak, vocal fry, and nasalityBecome powerful public speakersFind their truest form of expressionWith her unmatched ability to teach vocal mastery in real-world terms, Woods offers a much-needed, proven, practical, and invaluable set of tools that will forever change how we communicate and, ultimately, how we see ourselves and affect others.

“You don’t need to be an actor to benefit from finding your unique ‘voice print,’ as Denise calls it. When you do the necessary work, clearing your voice of distractions and pairing it with your personal narrative, it can be liberating. There’s no more powerful way to unleash your true self onto the world and fully connect with others.” — Mahershala Ali, Academy Award–winning actor “As a woman of color,  I can’t think of anything more meaningful than knowing the importance and power of my own voice. Denise has helped me understand how to use my voice and how to ensure that my authenticity is heard. In The Power of Voice, Denise describes the voice as a super power, we are as powerful as we allow our voices to be.” — Halle Berry, Academy Award-winning actor “Denise Woods is an essential, practical guide for anyone who breathes and speaks, as well as a riveting memoirist. Uniquely, Denise not only coaches others to discover and reveal their authentic voices, she shares her own authentic voice and experience. I think my own teaching will improve from reading this necessary and inspiring book.” — Tim Monich, dialect coach for blockbuster films such as The Departed, Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood, A Star Is Born, The Wolf of Wall Street, and many more “In my sixty years as a producer and artist, I have never been so impressed with anyone in the field as I am with Denise Woods. Beyond her immense knowledge of voice and expression – once available only to the famed or fortunate few – she brings the reader to the heart of their own truth. Merely reading it will create a new richness in how you experience yourself and how you are perceived.” — Robert Hooks, Founder/producer of the Negro Ensemble Company, actor, and activist “Through her own personal story and those of the many actors, broadcast journalists, and others she has coached, Denise leads us through an engaging and encouraging journey of vocal empowerment.  In each chapter, she shares the wisdom she has acquired over years of teaching and offers exercises we can all employ to locate our breath and unlock our individual connection to our own voice and speech.” — Evan Yionoulis, Richard Rodgers Dean and Director of the Drama Division, The Juilliard School "This inspirational memoir and instructional guide will help readers train their voice and mind." — Booklist

Denise Woods is one of the nation’s most sought-after voice and dialect coaches, with clients such as Halle Berry, Will Smith, Queen Latifah, Taye Diggs, Ray Liotta, Laurence Fishburne, Jessica Chastain, Taraji P. Henson, Mahershala Ali, Idris Elba, and many, many more. She is a graduate and former faculty member of The Juilliard School, and a long-time faculty member of California Institute of the Arts.