This week, I did something a little different—a Q&A video with my friend and longtime collaborator, my editor and director, Tea! We asked you for your questions about voice training, gender presentation, video production, and our creative partnership, and you really delivered.

We covered a lot, so I wanted to share the main takeaways here in blog form in case you prefer reading (or skimming!) to watching.

But if you want to watch, here is the video!

💬 How did you two meet?

Tea and I met back in 2018, when she was working on a film project about trans artists. A mutual connection—a queer barber—put us in touch, and the rest is history. We made music videos, hundreds of TikToks, and now YouTube videos and educational resources together. I even officiated Tea's wedding! Our relationship is deeply collaborative, creative, and unlike anything else in our lives.

💬 How did you choose your names?

Tea chose her name with some practical and cultural considerations in mind—she wanted to keep her initials the same and chose a name that felt connected to her Welsh and English heritage. Her middle name comes from a trans celebrity.

My name, Renée, is actually the one I was given at birth, named after my uncle. My parents were planning to name me Renée regardless of gender, and now I really appreciate that it feels nonbinary and flexible. I’ve played with alternate spellings like Renée with a dash (René–e) or even how it’s spelled when I go to Mexico—just “René,” which feels surprisingly affirming. My middle name is Rose, which I don’t connect with much, but it’s my grandmother’s name, and I keep it for her and because I like having the initials R. R. Yoxon.

💬 What tools do you use for video production?

Here’s our rapid-fire gear list:

• Camera: Panasonic GH5s

• Teleprompter: Elgato Prompter (a lifesaver!)

• Audio: Sound Devices MixPre-6 + Sennheiser lapel mics

• Lighting: Aputure lights (lightweight with beautiful color)

• Editing: Adobe Premiere (even though it’s a pain sometimes)

We script in Notion, co-edit together, and spend a lot of time planning each video. Since switching to YouTube, the process has been more involved but also way more creatively satisfying.

💬 How do you get that cozy, “talking to a friend” vibe in your videos?

A big part of the vibe is that we film everything in my actual apartment, which I’ve lived in for 12 years. It’s full of soft surfaces (rugs, macramé, books, wood furniture) and warm colours (shoutout to Saffron Strands by Behr). Nearly everything in my space is secondhand or salvaged, which adds character and softens the audio reflections.

We diffuse our lighting as much as possible, switch up the backgrounds often, and bring a ton of experience from filming TikToks and courses, where I had to get used to talking directly to the camera like I was talking to a friend.

Also… we record during rush hour on a busy street, so if you hear a truck rumbling through a heartfelt moment, that’s just real life.

💬 Any tips for reducing twang in transfem voices?

Yes! Twang often comes from tension in the ariepiglottic sphincter area when people are trying too hard to raise their larynx. Instead of squeezing everything, I recommend two things:

1. Ask yourself: What if it were easy? Try the exercise again with 10% less effort.

2. Raise your larynx and then practice just breathing in that position. This can help open the back of the throat and reduce tightness.

You don’t have to force brightness—it can be created with more relaxation than you think.

💬 What’s your favourite milestone in voice training?

For Tea, it was realizing one day that she couldn’t remember what her old voice sounded like. That kind of transformation sneaks up on you when you’ve been training consistently, even if it’s slow.

For me, as a teacher, one of the best moments is when a student finally hears their progress—maybe by comparing a recording from a year ago—and suddenly everything clicks. Those realizations are so joyful and powerful.

💬 How can I feminize my voice without forcing it every time?

The word “forcing” implies too much activation energy. If creating your voice feels like an intense performance every time, try to:

• Practice daily until the voice becomes a habit

• Reduce physical effort by relaxing your breath, body, and posture

• Revisit the question: What if this were easier?

Eventually, your voice can become second nature. But it takes time to overwrite deeply ingrained patterns.

💬 Is it normal for straw phonation or CVT exercises to work immediately?

YES! Sometimes, exercises really do produce instant results. If straw phonation or a meow exercise gives you the voice you want—great! That can be your training. There’s no rule that says it has to be hard or slow to be valid.

💬 How do I stop feeling embarrassed doing vocal exercises?

This one hits close to home for a lot of people. My biggest advice? Let them hear you. Let them see you trying.

But if you really need privacy:

• Go into a closet with clothes around you (also great for soundproofing)

• Practice into a pillow or put a towel under your door

• Use your car or find a secluded outdoor space

Embarrassment is normal. But practicing anyway is an act of self-love—and freedom.

💬 Can you feminize your voice without raising your pitch?

Now for the question that inspired this week’s title and thumbnail…

Pitch is one piece of the puzzle, but it’s not the only one—or even the most important. Resonance (how bright or dark your voice sounds) does a ton of gender signaling. In fact, I can sound more feminine or more masculine without changing my pitch at all—just by adjusting resonance.

Raising pitch slightly can help if it feels good and comfortable to you, but you don’t need to hit a certain number on a tuner to be perceived the way you want.

Check out the video to watch me change resonance without altering pitch!

💬 Got follow-up questions?

I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment under the video—that’s the best way to keep the conversation going.

And if you want to go deeper into gender-affirming voice training, get my best tips, updates, and offerings straight to your inbox, join my newsletter.

Thanks for reading, and as always—I hope this helps. 💛