High Notes

About High Notes

High Notes is a podcast featuring conversations on the art and business of voice, hosted by voice actor and BRAVA CEO, Melissa Thom. From Mongolian throat singing to vocal health, accents, gaming, and more, HIGH NOTES uncovers the craft behind the business. Brought to you by https://www.brava.uk.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Melissa Thom

Category

arts · business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Dec 2023

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

30 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Oct 2026

   AI or Human Voice? Why Brands Choose Both, with Mark Graeme from OCX UK (Omnicom Production) and Mark Eaves from Gravity Road

   This episode explores when and why a creative studio chooses AI over a human voice, and when it doesn't, from two vantage points in the advertising industry. Mark Graeme is Head of Studio at OCX UK (Omnicom Production, part of Omnicom Group, the world's leading marketing and sales company). Mark and his team produce work for creative agencies such as Adam & Eve/TBWA, AMVBBDO, and McCann, plus work directly with a mix of local and global brands. Mark Eaves is Founder of Gravity Road, part of The Brand Tech Group, working across brands including Unilever, Booking.com (http://booking.com/) and TikTok. He led Gravity Road's build of 'Ode,' an AI poetry companion made in partnership with Microsoft AI and Poetry Pharmacy founder William Sieghart. 'Ode' is trained on Sieghart's own voice to listen and prescribe a poem. Every poem is read aloud by a real actor - Stephen Fry, Harriet Walter, Dominic West and Indira Varma among them - rather than a synthetic voice. Between them, we get the industry-wide picture and one deeply considered case study, both circling the same question creative directors are still grappling with: AI or human voice? Explore the conversation further in our companion article (https://www.brava.uk.com/post/ai-voice-vs-human-voice-what-are-brands-actually-choosing) > OCX UK (Omnicom Production) Capability-production - Omnicom (https://www.omc.com/capabilities/capability-production/) Rennie Wind Relief Campaign Rennie Wind Relief Calls Time on Britain’s Oldest Fart Cover-up | LBBOnline (https://lbbonline.com/news/Rennie-Wind-Relief-Fart-Cover-up-McCann-London) Rennie Baxters Story Advert TV ad: Rennie: Baxter's Story (https://www.bestadsontv.com/ad/192556/Rennie-Baxters-Story) Forrester’s 2026 Technology & Security Predictions Forrester’s 2026 Technology & Security Predictions: As AI’s Hype Fades, Enterprises Will Defer 25% Of Planned AI Spend To 2027 (https://www.forrester.com/press-newsroom/forrester-tech-security-2026-predictions/) MIT: The Gene Divide: State of AI in Business 2025 https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdf (https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdf) Adobe Express: Voices of AI: Music, Speech, and the new marketing soundscape Voices of AI: Music, speech, and the new marketing soundscape | Adobe (https://www.adobe.com/express/learn/blog/ai-audio-consumer-trust) Gravity Road Gravity Road (https://gravityroad.com/) Reuters Pure News from the Source Brand Campaign https://www.reuters.com/media-center/reuters-expands-pure-news-straight-source-brand-campaign-with-two-new-video-2026-09-16/ (https://www.reuters.com/media-center/reuters-expands-pure-news-straight-source-brand-campaign-with-two-new-video-2026-09-16/) Ode Ode - Find the poem that finds you - (https://welcome.odepoetry.ai/)odepoetry.ai (http://odepoetry.ai/) Bringing Ode Poetry to life with MAI’s audio models Bringing Ode Poetry to life with MAI’s audio models | Microsoft AI (https://microsoft.ai/news/ode-poetry-mai/) The Poetry Pharmacy Forever William Sieghart Books – The Poetry Pharmacy Live (https://www.thepoetrypharmacy.com/books/) Sign up to the BRAVA newsletter: https://www.brava.uk.com/subscribe (https://www.brava.uk.com/subscribe) 00:00 Season Intro and Guests 01:58 Mark Graeme Background 02:54 Studio AI Tools 04:54 Voiceover Planning Process 06:36 Campaign Voice Wins 08:54 When AI Is a Mistake 10:19 Hype Versus ROI 12:46 Trust Gap Explained 15:30 BRAVA Sponsor Break 16:31 Consent and Corporate Use 18:31 Future of Human Voice 20:31 Mark Eaves and Gravity Road 23:07 Audio Culture Resurgence 27:13 Choosing AI Versus Human Voice 28:31 Reuters Authenticity Case 31:09 Ode Poetry Companion 36:11 Why Human Poem Readings 37:47 Wrap Up and Next Episode Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   25 Sept 2026

   SEASON 4 TRAILER: The AI Voice

   High Notes returns for its fourth season with The AI Voice: a series about what happens to the human voice as AI gets good enough to replicate it. It's a conversation that reaches further than most people think. It affects not just performers, but anyone who's ever recorded a voice note, sat on a Zoom call, or had their voice used by the business they work for. BRAVA founder, Melissa Thom, talks to leading figures on both sides of the AI debate: Mark Graeme, Mark Eaves, Faye Dicker, Shannon Sailing, Dr Mathilde Pavis, David Menkin, Dan Jones, Cissy Jones, and Bonnie Nordling. Together, they explore when brands choose AI over a human voice, what happens when your voice is cloned without consent, how UK law is (and isn't) keeping up, and how performers can negotiate, license and protect their voices. New episodes every Thursday from 8th October. Subscribe on your preferred podcast platform, or visit brava.uk.com/podcast for more. Season 4 Guests Mark Graeme and Mark Eaves: Head of Studio at OCX UK (part of Omnicom Group) and Founder of Gravity Road, on AI or Human Voice? Why Brands Choose Both, and when big brands choose AI and when they don’t. Faye Dicker and Shannon Sailing: voice actor and Equity's Industrial Official for Audio and Games, on Cloned Without Consent, and what happened when Faye's voice was cloned and sold online. Dr Mathilde Pavis: intellectual property lawyer who helped build Equity's AI toolkit, on UK AI Law: Unfit for Purpose?, and what you can do to protect your voice today. David Menkin: actor and voiceover artist, on working across Games, Dubbing, Ads and Animation, and how AI risk differs in each sector. Dan Jones, former Head of Audio at Hachette UK, on The Audiobook Pipeline, and how AI narration is reshaping publishing. Cissy Jones: BAFTA award-winning actress and co-founder and CEO of Ethovox, on owning and protecting your voice, and what performers should check before licensing it. Bonnie Nordling: Managing Director of talent agency Nordlings, on Negotiating AI, and how agents are handling AI clauses in voiceover contracts. High Notes - where every conversation is a performance. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode. Follow us for more information: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravauk/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravauk/) https://www.facebook.com/bravauk (https://www.facebook.com/bravauk) https://www.instagram.com/bravauk (https://www.instagram.com/bravauk) Subscribe to the BRAVA newsletter for regular updates on news, training opportunities, and insights from the world of voice: https://www.brava.uk.com/subscribe (https://www.brava.uk.com/subscribe) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   15 Dec 2025

   In Conversation with Margaret Heffernan: Voice, Creativity, and Embracing Uncertainty

   In this episode, Melissa sits down with professor, writer, and deep thinker, Dr. Margaret Heffernan, to explore creativity, uncertainty, and the power of authentic voice. Together, they talk about how artists and leaders can not only survive but thrive in unpredictable times, the importance of cultivating a personal style, and the art of communicating with clarity and impact. Margaret reflects on lessons from her childhood and career, shares insights from her latest book Embracing Uncertainty, and offers thoughtful guidance on building meaningful, creative lives. Tune in for inspiration and practical wisdom on navigating change, fostering creativity, and finding your voice at work and beyond. Links: https://www.mheffernan.com/ (https://www.mheffernan.com/) https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/99633.Margaret_Heffernan (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/99633.Margaret_Heffernan) https://www.ted.com/speakers/margaret_heffernan (https://www.ted.com/speakers/margaret_heffernan) Ready to elevate your voice, confidence, and communication at work? Contact us at BRAVA Business and start making every conversation count: brava.uk.com/business (http://brava.uk.com/business) Stay connected with BRAVA Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news, training opportunities and insights connecting business, acting, and voice: brava.uk.com/subscribe (https://www.brava.uk.com/subscribe) 00:00 Introduction to High Notes Podcast 01:19 Meet Margaret Heffernan: Early Life and Influences 05:54 Embracing Uncertainty: Insights from Margaret's Latest Book 09:28 The Importance of Creativity and Adaptability 16:49 The Power of Voice in Leadership 21:19 Effective Communication: Avoiding Jargon and Clichés 29:00 The Power of Storytelling in Business 30:23 The Craft of Effective Communication 35:32 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome 37:11 The Importance of Curiosity and Noticing 45:52 Creativity in Science and Engineering 46:38 The Value of Arts in Education 51:17 Building a Meaningful Creative Career Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Who has been a guest on High Notes

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Andrew Whieldon Dennis
• Kate Hansen-Birnbaum
• industry experts from Pixar and Aardman

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

25

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact High Notes

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.