'We can sound however we want': Voiceover artist defends her accent following outrageous fan question

It might be 2023, but there is still a common misconception that speaking clearly is often equated with putting on an accent.

Unfortunately, this was the case for one woman, Caitanya Tan, a voiceover artist who received a comment from a netizen insinuating that her accent is "fake".

@caitofalltraits Replying to @Blippi Rant over. #youdoyou #empowerment ♬ original sound - Caitanya Tan

In response, Caitanya shared that she is from Singapore, "a multi-national, multi-racial country".

"We can sound however we want," she added.

She went on to explain the origins behind her English language education, crediting her primary school teacher, Mrs Bingham, who is biracial, being half British and half Singaporean, for instilling in her good language skills. 

Caitanya emphasised, "The only reason I'm able to use my voice and the way I speak to make money right now is because of Mrs Bingham."

She also highlighted the importance of not judging others based on how they choose to speak, stating, "We're entitled to what we want to do." 

Furthermore, she noted that comments like the one she received are "detrimental to society".

AsiaOne has reached out to Caitanya for more details.

Netizens' reactions

The reactions from netizens in the comments section were largely supportive of Caitanya's take on personal accents.

Some users encouraged her to ignore the naysayers. 

One commenter noted that she doesn't have an accent, but instead, she articulates well and has excellent pronunciation.

 Another user praised her clarity when it came to pronunciation, mentioning that there was no need for subtitles when she spoke. 

One commenter acknowledged that her accent seemed mixed while still commending her fluency. 

To this, Caitanya explained that her accent was indeed mixed due to her time spent abroad working.

A quick scroll through her TikTok account reveals that Caitanya frequently creates voice impersonation videos.

One of her most popular ones involves recreating the MRT announcements on the train. She is so good to the extent that someone even believed she was the actual voice behind the MRT announcements.

Professionally, Caitanya is not just a voiceover artist but also an actress, model, and emcee. 

Her acting roles include appearances in TV drama series such as Point of Entry, Netflix's Mr Midnight and Tanglin. 

In addition, her portfolio boasts numerous commercials for brands such as Siemens, Yahoo, and Vice Asia.

ALSO READ: 'Trying very hard with his slang': Singaporean studying in Canada gets flak over his accent

venkat.gunasellan@asiaone.com

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