By Pauline Odhiambo
Dan Orenge was only eight when his voice broke. It felt strange for a boy who was still a few years from the age when one would typically experience the awkwardness of transitioning out of childhood, physically and mentally.
Little did Dan know then that his voice wasn't just assuming an unfamiliar resonance — it was taking wing on a journey into a world that would become his playground.
Dan, aka D_man, is now 40 and blessed with a deep baritone that people recognise as uniquely his.
As a successful voice-over artist, public speaking coach and wellness campaigner, the measured cadences in his delivery are as appreciated as the message he seeks to convey through his professional work and social mission.
"My foray into voice acting started 20 years ago, but I received recognition only after I became sober," Dan tells TRT Afrika of the phase in his life when he battled alcohol addiction.
"I was constantly dropping my demos at production agencies and going to TV and radio stations to audition, but it never really worked out."
Dan's struggle to overcome his habit gave him the patience to persevere in his professional career, too.
His resilience would pay off in a few years, with his videos on TikTok and other online platforms going viral.
Steady success
Dan's first TV commercial came within a month of him working on his voice artistry at a friend's studio.
"I got the news on my birthday, and it was the best gift. They ended up using my voice in two different adverts, and so I was paid double," he recounts.
Dan went on to start his own company, Sikika Advertising Solutions. The name came from the Kiswahili word "sikika", meaning "to be heard".
In addition to voice-overs, the company specialises in animation and motion graphics, scriptwriting, music production, videography, and editing.
Dan also resumed working with a former employee as an agent and shortly afterwards secured another gig to host an awards ceremony.
He continued recording voice-overs for commercials. His first viral video showed him reading a script promoting Mercedes and Range Rovers on TikTok.
"From having no followers, I went up to 30,000 in a month, which brought more business," says the father of five, who recently lent his voice to the Gen Z-led anti-tax protests in Kenya.
"My growing popularity led me to join the Voice Actors League of Kenya, where I have had the opportunity to meet and work with other seasoned professionals," he tells TRT Afrika.
Voicing a cause
Besides his commercial work, Dan's initiative to raise awareness of mental health has also taken off.
He routinely participates in podcasts and other platforms focused on wellness.
"Being able to use my voice to help other people has helped me stay focused on my own sobriety," he tells TRT Afrika.
"I thank God that all the progress I have made so far has aligned with some of the things that I am passionate about, including physical fitness and mental health."
Dan was raised in a strict household where scholastic ambition often took precedence over leisure activities. This left him longing for the freedom university life had to offer.
"By the time I joined university, it was hard to balance my studies and partying," recalls the founder of D_Man Wellness.
"So, I started exercising and going to the gym as a way to release that pent-up energy.” But getting back on the rails was hard. "It took me five-and-a-half years to graduate instead of four," says Dan.
He eventually landed a stable job in 2019 at a financial technology company. As luck would have it, the job also allowed him to flex his voice-acting skills.
"That's when I started getting my first paid voiceover gigs, and it was amazing because I got the chance to voice video tutorials and other instructional content," he says.
Admitting to his boss one day about his struggles after missing a crucial meeting was the turning point in Dan's life.
"The disclosure cost me my job, but my boss said the company would take me back if I got help and showed evidence of treatment. That's exactly what I did," he says.
Dan's former boss kept his word once his life was on the mend.
"I did some voice-overs for him and had the payment sent home to my wife," recalls Dan.
Somehow, Dan knew that his inner voice had finally won the battle.
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