When Amara Olimb Kreh first started exploring her voice, she didn’t plan on becoming a professional audiobook narrator. In fact, like many trans people, she began with a more personal goal: to sound more like herself.

In this interview, Amara shares her journey from early voice exploration to narrating queer fantasy audiobooks and how gender-affirming voice training helped her build a voice she not only felt proud of but one she could use to build a creative career.

We talk about voice dysphoria, finding joy in experimentation, and how voice can shift from a source of stress to a source of play. We also dig into her creative process, how she landed her first audiobook roles, and what it's like to voice characters across genders and accents.

Watch the full interview below, or keep reading for highlights and key takeaways from our conversation:

Watch Now: How a Trans Woman Found Her Voice (& became a Voice

Highlights from the Interview

Practicing in private, performing in public

Amara began her voice journey like many trans folks do—by practicing alone, in the car, or into a microphone, unsure whether it was “working” but hopeful something would click. Over time, she layered in more structure through formal training and began sharing her voice with others.

That process helped her move from internal self-monitoring to external performance. She started reading aloud to her wife, then to friends, and eventually to listeners across the world.

Navigating the self-critical brain

A big part of Amara’s story is about learning to hear herself differently. Early on, she struggled with recordings and feeling discouraged by what didn’t sound right and was unsure of what to focus on. Over time, she learned to track progress more intentionally and reflect on her voice with more compassion and less judgment.

That shift (from only hearing flaws to noticing growth) was a key part of how she stayed motivated.

Turning old voices into character tools

One of the most striking parts of Amara’s journey is how her past and present voices now coexist. The voice she used before transitioning didn’t disappear—it became a resource she can call on when narrating certain characters. Her trained voice became her new default, and her old voice became one of many tools in her repertoire.

That fluidity is a huge asset in her narration work.

Starting a voice acting career as a trans narrator

Amara didn’t follow a traditional voice acting path. She found her first narration gigs on ACX (Amazon’s audiobook platform) and built a niche narrating queer fiction written by indie authors. She talks about learning to self-direct, record and edit her work, and the role of community support in launching her career.

She also reflects on how gender-affirming voice work laid the foundation for that confidence. Without it, she says, none of the rest would have been possible.

Want to Learn More About Trans Voice Training?

Amara got her start in voice work by enrolling in one of my courses. If you’re curious about what voice training could look like for you, I suggest starting here:

👉 Watch my free webinar: Change the Gender of Your Voice (No Hormones or Surgeries Required)
https://www.reneeyoxon.com/change-the-gender-of-your-voice

👉 Explore all my trans voice training courses
https://reneeyoxon.com/store

👉 Get weekly voice tips delivered by email
https://reneeyoxon.com/newsletter

Follow Amara

🎧 Prince of the Ancients and Queen of the Exiled by G.L. Preston

📸 Follow Amara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amara.olimb.kreh/

Did something in this interview resonate with you? Leave a comment on the video and let us know.

And if you're ready to explore your own voice, I'll be right here when you're ready.