The Art of Accent Coaching: With Olga Sytina

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 shares how she helps ESL teachers master the British accent — not to perform someone else’s voice, but to feel more empowered, expressive, and professionally confident in their own.

We talk about:
– British vs. American prosody: rhythm, intonation, and cultural vibe
– Why confidence — not being a copy of something or somebody — is the real outcome of accent work
– The physical side of pronunciation (yes, it’s basically face/mouth choreography)
– How pragmatics shapes not just how we speak, but how we’re understood
– The surprising emotional payoff of shadowing, feedback, and doing the work

“Accent is like your personal DNA. It doesn’t have to be British or American — it has to be you.”

One soul-soothing listen for pronunciation teachers, advanced learners, and anyone curious about how voice, identity, and communication intersect.