Elroy ‘Spoonface’ Powell on Mindfulness and His Career in Entertainment
In a recent academic article titled “Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on employees’ mental health: A systematic review” the authors investigated the effects of mindfulness on the mental well-being of employees. The authors note that mindfulness has its origins in the practice of buddhism which dates back roughly 2,500 years. In a modern context mindfulness refers to a method of, “increasing awareness and responding optimally to mental processes that contribute to emotional distress and maladaptive behavior”. Through their analysis the academics concluded that mindfulness can lead to a reduction of emotional exhaustion, stress, depression and anxiety as well as increases in quality of sleep, relaxation and self-compassion.
Elroy ‘Spoonface’ Powell, Mindfulness and Voice Acting
Elroy ‘Spoonface’ Powell aka ‘Spoon The Voice Guy’, is an award winning voice actor, author and mindfulness consultant who has worked on a wide range of projects throughout his career. One of his earliest achievements is as the voice of the cover of the Barry White song “You See the Trouble with Me”, which reached the top of the UK Singles Chart, and sold several million copies across the globe. The song featured Spoon in collaboration with the two members of the musical group Black Legend.
Copyright: Elroy Powell
Spoon has leant his talents to a number of film and television performances which include Rosser Weno in Star Wars Episode VII and Marvin on the market of popular UK Soap East Enders. Recent engagements include Fighting With My Family, Pirates, Jingle Jangle and the Harry Enfield 100 years of BBC special. These performances are bolstered by several other roles which he has played in a number of television series and short films.
Spoon has also worked extensively in the area of video games and recently won the One Voice Conference award for Best Male Voice in Gaming with his performance in Techland’s Dying Light 2 as one of the main characters. Spoon voices the major character Jack Matt who is the leader of a rebellious army faction called the Peacekeepers. In story mode, players of Dying Light 2 can uncover more about his character and involvement in certain pivotal aspects of the game’s plot. Spoon has also voiced the character of Magnus in the Dota 2 card game Artifact as well as a number of other roles in the video game industry.
Seeing a need for more honest information about voice acting, Spoon successfully collaborated with colleagues to write Voice Over Secrets. This book features advice from Spoon himself and many other talented voice actors which include Ramesh Mahtani, Paul Rose, Vicky Tessio and Bhav Parmar. They provide deep insights into the industry and craft of voice acting. Struggling voice over artists of any level will find useful tips in the book based on the experience of these seasoned professionals.
Aside from his various acting and music roles, he is also a major proponent of the practice of mindfulness. He sees this as an effective way of combating stress in an increasingly stressful world. He has leant his voice talents and his extensive experience to the wellness industry in which he shares mindfulness tools with business owners to reduce stress and increase peace and productivity. Additionally, Spoon hosts corporate mindfulness sessions to encourage employees to embrace the practice of mindfulness in order to improve their mental well-being.
Spoon’s approach to mindfulness focuses on reframing limiting beliefs, mostly through the creation of positive statements aligned with an individual’s personal circumstances. These affirmations help to facilitate personal growth and are used as a means of developing a greater sense of self-awareness. The affirmations provide a foundation for the creation of positivity in the manner in which an individual interacts with themselves and with the world at large. This can lead to a greater sense of inner-peace, acceptance and a snowball effect of positive change in an individual’s life.
Final Thoughts
Elroy ‘Spoonface’ Powell is an established talent in the voice acting industry and has leant his honed skill set to a diverse range of artistic endeavors. From the early days of his career his ability to use the gift of his voice has been evident and this has led him to achieve a number of career milestones. One such milestone being the best male voice in gaming this year. More than just an artist, Spoon is focused on helping people better themselves through the practice of mindfulness and engaging with positive affirmations.
