OurVoices
Voices That Honour A Life Well Lived
OurVoices is a marketplace being built to connect families with professional voice-over artists who specialise in audio obituaries.
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The problem today
Finding the right voice should be easier
There is no central directory of voice-over artists who specialise in obituaries.
Families rely entirely on word-of-mouth and WhatsApp forwards during one of the most time-pressured periods of their lives.
They cannot hear a voice before choosing. They cannot compare. They often settle for whoever the funeral home knows.
Voice-over artists have no professional home — they advertise on Facebook pages and personal WhatsApp statuses.
OurVoices is being built to change that. Families currently find voice artists through personal referrals, Facebook pages and WhatsApp forwards — often during one of the most time-pressured and emotionally difficult periods of their lives. OurVoices brings artist profiles, audio samples, languages and contact details together in one place.
The tradition
Audio obituaries are a growing part of South African funeral services
At South African funeral services — across Black, Coloured, Afrikaans, and many other communities — it is a deep-rooted tradition for a family representative to read an obituary at the beginning of the speakers' service. A full account of who the person was: their origins, family, achievements, faith, and legacy.
Over the past decade, families have increasingly transitioned to professionally recorded audio obituaries — narrated by a voice-over artist, set to background music, played through the venue sound system. This relieves a grieving family member from the burden of composed public speaking, and delivers a polished, dignified tribute every time.
Audio obituaries are now a standard expectation at many services — not an exception
Yet the infrastructure to support the industry remains entirely informal
Artists advertise on Facebook pages and personal WhatsApp statuses
Families settle for whoever the funeral home knows — not the best fit for their loved one
OurVoices is being built to make that process simpler and more dignified
For families
Find the right voice in minutes
Browse artists
Filter by language, province, gender, and vocal tone. No login required.
Listen first
Play audio samples directly on the listing card. Hear the voice before opening the profile.
Read the full profile
Biography, languages, rate range, and service details — all in one place.
Submit your enquiry
Name, phone, funeral date, and message. The artist is notified immediately.
Filter by language
Voices for South Africa's 11 spoken official languages
Filter by vocal tone
Find the voice that fits the moment
For voice artists
Your professional home for this service
A permanent profile page
Every artist receives a public, shareable URL. Share it on WhatsApp, Instagram bios, business cards, and email signatures. It always shows your latest samples and contact form.
Your own enquiry inbox
Families submit enquiries directly to you — name, phone number, funeral date, and message. You receive an email notification immediately.
Dashboard and analytics
See your profile views, audio sample play counts, and enquiry trends. Know which sample gets played most and how your profile is performing.
Launch model
Free to list at launch
OurVoices launches free-to-list, building a critical mass of quality artists before introducing premium placement and booking commission in a later phase. Artists who join early establish themselves on the platform from day one.
Join the waitlist
Whether you're a family looking for a voice artist or an artist looking for a professional platform — register your interest below.