My guest today is Roger Love - one of the world’s most renowned voice coaches. He has worked with top performers, executives, actors, and public figures, and his work sits at the intersection of voice, confidence, emotional expression, breath, nervous system regulation, communication, and identity. In this conversation, we explore how the way you sound shapes the way people perceive you and the way you perceive yourself.
We get into Roger’s framework for mastering the five core voice variables — pitch, pace, tone, melody, and volume — and why most people unknowingly sound monotone, anxious, apologetic, or less confident than they really are.
He explains how voice patterns influence emotion, why public speaking fear is really fear of judgment, and how changing the sounds of confidence can actually help build confidence in real life.
We also discuss the connection between voice and longevity, Roger’s work using singing and airflow to help people with stuttering and post-stroke speech challenges, and why he believes your voice may be one of the most overlooked tools for improving relationships, self-expression, business, and quality of life.
This episode is for anyone who wants to communicate with more clarity, warmth, authority, and authenticity.
Timestamps
00:00 Why your voice may be shaping your entire life
00:59 Intro to Roger Love and why voice matters beyond performance
02:54 Roger’s origin story — singing, happiness, and becoming a voice coach at 16
08:02 The 5 core voice variables: pitch, pace, tone, melody, and volume
09:50 How emotion shapes the way you should speak — fast vs. slow, loud vs. soft
11:18 Why people remember how you make them feel more than the words you say
16:00 Why monotone voices lose people — and how melody creates engagement
19:23 The “leading tone” technique to keep people listening and prevent interruptions
20:02 How vocal musicality creates emotion, attention, and connection
21:20 Voice, relationships, and longevity — Roger’s perspective on why communication keeps us young
23:14 Roger’s documentary Find Your Voice and the story of helping a lifelong stutterer
25:23 “Solid airflow” and Roger’s approach to stuttering and speech transformation
26:12 Singing, stroke recovery, and helping his mother speak again
27:32 Why public speaking fear is really fear of being judged
28:52 “The sound creates the reality” — how confident speech builds real confidence
46:32 Why voice is a learnable skill, not a fixed trait
47:34 Why nobody is stuck with the voice they have
49:37 The voice makeover idea that could change your life
#RogerLove #CommunicationSkills #PublicSpeaking #Confidence
New Zealand