Beyond the ACCENT: Speak Without Limits, with Keri

This week on Beyond the Accent , I sat down with writer and Russian literature creator Olga Ruchina to talk about why Dostoevsky continues to haunt readers around the world, what happens to a novel when it crosses languages, and why some stories survive centuries while others quietly disappear. We discuss why Russians themselves don't always worship Dostoevsky, whether translators become co-author...

There’s a strange moment that happens to many adults when they start learning a new language. In the rest of their lives, they’re competent. Experienced. Used to knowing what they’re doing. And then they try to say a sentence in a new language — and suddenly they feel twelve years old again. My guest today has watched that moment unfold hundreds of times. Léa Perret is the co-founder of Coucou Fre...

What if the question “Where are you from?” isn’t small talk — but a trapdoor? In this episode, I’m joined by Xenia: Russian-speaking trilingual living in Madrid, English and Spanish teacher, American accent coach — and someone who knows what it means to live in several voices at once. We talk about the actual multilingual experience: the selves that emerge in different languages, the homes you gro...

What happens to confidence when your voice crosses languages? In this episode, Aviya Gavriel,  Israeli-born accent coach and psychology student based in Los Angeles, joins me to talk about the space between our native and adopted selves, and what it takes to feel at home in both. We trace her story from a small Israeli village and Orthodox schooldays to an LA adolescence of “matcha and drama....

Today I sit down with Alex — American in France, language teacher, and co-founder of Peasy Anglais — to explore what happens when your sense of self stretches across languages. We talk about French becoming the language where Alex feels her emotions most fully, about couple-created words (quat = quoi + what), and about the cultural scripts that shape how we sound — from the American “awesome!” to...

What if I told you that “sounding spontaneous” isn’t about winging it –  it’s about structure? In this episode, we’re busting the myth that speaking off the cuff means chaos or brilliance by chance. From jazz musicians to Stanford tour guides to your next team meeting, the secret to speaking confidently on the fly lies in a simple road map. I’ll share practical frameworks you can start using...

What happens when your British self is calm and structured… but your American self is loud, messy, and totally free? In this intimate duo episode, I speak with Annie (a.k.a. Anita) — a pronunciation coach, multilingual thinker, and unicorn of the accent world — about what it’s like to live in multiple voices. She teaches both British and American accents and reveals how each one taps into a differ...

Imagine a language that spent nearly two millennia asleep. Not forgotten—just… paused. Whispered in prayer, never yelled in traffic. Then one day, it woke up. And started swiping on Tinder. Ordering coffee. Dropping slang. This episode is about that language—Hebrew. But not the one locked in liturgy. We're talking about the Hebrew that got reinvented, repurposed, and remixed by dreamers, poets, im...

In this episode, I sit down with British accent coach and pronunciation expert Olga Sytina to explore what accent training is really about. (Spoiler: it’s not just about sounding “native.”) We dive into the emotional, physical, and linguistic layers that make up this work — from rhythm and prosody to confidence, identity, and all the myths that still linger in the language-learning world. Olga sha...

The Voice You Hear — and the Silence You Keep What does your inner voice sound like in English? And what do your pauses say — in a culture that’s not your own? In this introspective deep-dive, we’re exploring two powerful, often-overlooked aspects of speech: inner monologue and cultural silence . You'll learn: 🎧 how bilingual minds shift their inner voice based on mood, memory, and geography 📚 w...

Today’s Beyond the Accent is a first — and it’s a duo episode! I’m joined by the brilliant Kristina Birk — voice actor, writer, coach, and all-around walking novel. We talk about everything from how we stumbled into each other's lives, to New York vs. L.A., to how growing up as "the odd one out" shaped our coaching journeys. Along the way, we dive into:   What it's really like to train at a p...

What if you’re a better conversationalist than you think? In this deep-dive episode, I unpack TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves by Harvard behavioral scientist Alison Wood Brooks — a book that’s part science, part soul, and full of insights about what really makes a conversation click . Whether you’re navigating interviews, first dates, or awkward elevator moments in...

What do Shakespeare, stress timing, and French composers have in common? More than you think — and less than you'd expect. In this episode, I explore why English swings and French glides , and how the rhythm of a language shapes everything from how we speak… to how we write music. We’ll dive into: – What “stress-timed” actually means — and why it matters for your pronunciation – How rhythm differs...

What if the most powerful thing you could say… was nothing at all? In this episode, I will be unpacking the subtle, transformative skill of enquiry — the kind of deep listening that doesn’t just improve your conversations but changes how people think in your presence. From learning how to sit through silence, to the magic of asking the right question at the right time, you’ll discover why pulling...

To join the Waitlist for our newest online workshop (more deets next week), How I Made My English Sound Effortless with these Rhythm & Intonation Techniques , leave your name and grab your spot :  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdRHuJi34B7WKS6EKC9E5fwU15zzJR4ZdYe3LywilkwsOnc1Q/viewform?usp=dialog Now, what's this episode on? Whether you're trying to make small talk feel less awk...

You know that weird feeling when you think you know a word, but the moment you say it out loud, it sounds… off? Maybe someone gently corrects you, or maybe they don’t, and you spend the next ten minutes wondering if you got it right. That’s what I call a broken word —a word that lives in your brain one way but sounds totally different in real life. And the more of them you collect, the harder it g...

 Ever feel like you're a slightly different person when speaking English? Like your thoughts flow differently, your reactions shift, or even your sense of self adapts? You're not imagining it. In this episode, we dive deep into the fascinating ways language shapes our perception, memory, and attention—sometimes in ways we don’t even realize. We explore the infamous Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, the...

Ever feel like your conversations stay frustratingly shallow? Like you’re stuck in small-talk limbo, never quite breaking through to something meaningful? You’re not alone. The truth is, most people are missing a few key skills that make the difference between surface-level chatter and real, engaging conversation. In this episode, we’re breaking down how to go deeper in conversations—how to make p...

In this 9th episode of Beyond the Accent, I dive into the world of intonation—the hidden musical quality in our speech that does so much more than just add flavor. I explore how mastering these subtle pitch changes can transform our everyday communication, helping us express meaning, structure our conversations, and build better connections with our listeners. I focus on David Brazil’s Discourse I...

Your voice is more than just sound—it’s a reflection of who you are. It carries your emotions, your confidence (or lack of it), and even the way you see yourself in the world. Ever felt like your voice sounds different in certain situations? Maybe it tightens when you're nervous, softens when you’re uncertain, or even disappears when you feel unheard. That’s not random—it’s a pattern. In this epis...

You’ve been lied to. Okay, maybe not lied to , but definitely misled. If you’ve ever worried about sounding correct , if you’ve ever hesitated before saying “who” or “whom” (and still felt unsure), if you’ve ever felt like “bad grammar” equals bad English —this episode is for you. Because here’s the truth: English doesn’t actually have fixed rules. It has trends. What’s “wrong” today was perfectly...

What if sound isn’t just something you hear—but something that shapes you? In this episode, inspired by Julian Treasure’s How to Be Heard, we explore how sound affects your body, mind, emotions, and even behavior. From the physiological effects of music to the circular dance of speaking and listening, discover why sound is never neutral—and how becoming conscious of it can transform your relations...

🗣️ Ever notice how your voice changes depending on who you’re talking to? Whether it’s slipping into your ‘work voice’ or switching to your native language with family, code-switching is something we all do—often without even realizing it. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the what, why, and how of code-switching. 🎧 Why do we naturally adapt our speech? What does it reveal about our identit...

Have you been sold the idea that perfect English equals perfect communication? Let’s break that lie wide open. In this episode, I share how chasing perfection in your speech can steal your confidence and joy—and what to focus on instead. We’ll talk about why missteps and quirks make you a more relatable speaker, and how embracing your imperfections can unlock authentic connections. It’s not about...

🎙 Your Voice, Your Accent: How Your Idiolect Tells Your Story Have you ever thought about how unique your voice truly is? It’s more than just an accent—it’s a mosaic of influences, experiences, and personal quirks that make your voice one of a kind. This episode dives into the concept of idiolect —the linguistic fingerprint that tells your story. Discover why no two voices are the same and how you...