NIGERIAN vocal artiste, Stephanie Ugbeye, has received a major boost in her rising creative and vocal career after clinching four nominations at the 2026 Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) Awards, marking a significant milestone in her professional journey.

Ugbeye, an award-winning voice artiste at African Podcast and Voice (APVA), described the recognition by the international awards body as a testament to her enduring creative talent and her use of voice to foster social change in the society.

She earned nominations in the following categories: International (English) Category: Outstanding Casting (Motion Picture Animation) – Best Casting Director, Outstanding Casting (TV Commercial) – Best Casting Director, Outstanding Radio Promo (Best Voice Over) and Outstanding Spoken Word or Storytelling (Best African Voiceover).

Reacting to the nominations, she said: “All my 2026 SOVAS nominations are quite significant because they are reflective of the passion that goes into the work behind the scenes. As voice artists and casting directors, our work is mostly heard and not seen but then every part of the process is a vocally-visual experience that counts in the execution of the work because we act like we are seen in the long run.”

She added that the latest recognition builds on her previous successes at the awards as she has received seven SOVAS nominations since 2022.

“I have received seven nominations in total in the following categories: Outstanding Spoken word: Best African Voice Over in 2022, two nominations in the category for Audiobook Narration (Africa) in 2024, Outstanding Radio Promo (English) and outstanding Spoken word / Storytelling in 2026 and my additional 2 nominations in two of the casting categories, which now makes my total nomination count of seven,” she said.

She noted that the growing number of nominations continues to encourage her to believe in her craft and strengthen collaboration with key creative stakeholders across the industry, including writers, animators, producers, sound engineers and creative directors.

“I enjoy my work as both a voice over artist and a casting director because it gives me a great opportunity to serve story ideas and create a unique experience for audiences with other talents in the industry. I am proud to be involved in these nominations,” she said.

Ugbeye encouraged Nigerians who have special voice talent to nurture the gift God has given them, particularly in using it to make a difference wherever they find themselves.

According to her, “The human voice exists to bring substance and a valuable experience to storytelling ideas whether it’s created to entertain, educate, inform or inspire people irrespective of the artists’ gender, language, sexuality, religion, background or race. In some of the African categories, Pidgin entries are being accepted and so it is imperative that as Nigerians, we can let our voices shine and not hold back on showcasing it to the world.”