Meet Crystal M. Lee | The Magical Bellydancing Voice Over Artist & Retired Disabled Veteran

We had the good fortune of connecting with Crystal M. Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Crystal M., where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I grew up in the Washington DC metropolitan area and am from a huge family. My mom is Filipino, and my dad is of German/English descent, both are 100 percent American. I have one younger sister and over 300+ extended family members. My parents ensured I was well-rounded, enrolling me in multiple activities: martial arts (Goju Ryu and Jujutsu), numerous styles of dance (tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, Filipino folk, Hula, Tahitian), theater arts camps, soccer, modeling, violin, etc. It appears my whole family had been grooming us (me, my sister, and cousins) to be performers at a young age. During the holidays/birthdays/special occasions, it was, and still is, a tradition that we all perform before receiving our gifts. In addition, karaoke was always a staple at all the events. I love my family…and their honesty with performance feedback. Growing up in this environment fostered creativity, confidence, and growth in my abilities as a performer.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m actually a 20+ year retired military disabled veteran, spending the majority of my time in the Intelligence Community. I have traveled the world and lived in multiple locations including Alaska, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Italy, Turkey, Bahrain, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Germany, and more. I also spent some time working under the DMA (Defense Media Activity) with AFN (Armed Forces Network). After I retired, I did a short stint as a government contractor, then was hired as a GS-13 with the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency). The agency was great, I just wasn’t happy being in an environment similar to my military days. So, I quit and utilized my military training (research, administration, records management, resilience, etc.) to start my own Voice Over (VO)/Production company. I’ve only been in the entertainment industry for a little over a year.

Within that time I have booked multiple gigs (cartoons, podcasts, corporate, promos, etc.), lost my two fur babies, divorced, moved from Germany to LA (flew to DC, road-tripped DC to FL to CO to CA meeting VO Artists/Industry professionals along the way), been nominated for a SOVAS Award (thank you J. Michael Collins, Joan Baker, Rudy Gaskins, and SOVAS), written a spy-comedy television series with the incredibly talented Cheryl Neve, organized a volunteer panel to educate the next generation of entertainers (thank you Darren Darnborough, Akira Lee Watanabe, Cheryl Neve, and Montverde Academy in FL), and provided a safe haven for creative wayward women in the industry. I also perform/teach Bellydance on the side and play ukulele and violin for fun.

Creating this magical life wasn’t/isn’t easy, but it is worth every ounce of energy, time, money, sweat, tears, and joy to fulfill my purpose. One lesson I have learned that’s worth sharing is to be selective with whom you spend your energy. Being an entrepreneur is a 24/7 profession and free time is limited. Spend your time with whom/what brings you joy and cut out the rest.

I am the Magical Crystal Lee and thank you for taking the time to learn about my life.

Need voice-over magic for your project? Let’s connect! Please visit www.AnimatedVoiceOvers.com or www.CrystalJProductions.com.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh my goodness! LA has so much to offer. I would definitely take visitors to the following places: -Stone Street Café on Melrose Ave: great coffee, food, speak-easy, and entertainment

-Shakey Alibi on Beverly Blvd: best liege waffles in town
-The Grove and Farmer’s Market: beautiful outdoor shopping area
-LaBrea Tar Pits: learn about prehistoric animals that used to roam the area
-Griffith Observatory: beautiful views and lessons about our universe
-Hike to the Hollywood sign: more beautiful views
-Disneyland and Universal: family fun and staple tourist spots
-Hollywood Blvd: Chinese Theater, Walk of Fame, Pie Hole restaurant (yes that’s really their name!), etc.
-Beaches: all of them

I’ve only lived in the city for 7-months and am still discovering little jewels. The people in LA have been friendly and welcoming. Loving the vibe here!

Thank you so much, ShoutOut SoCal Team, for this magical opportunity to share my story!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
“Thank you” to my amazing family, friends, coaches, and mentors for supporting me on my life’s adventures (the list is loooong) and helping me find my purpose! Without all of you, I’d be a dark, lost soul. Also, “thank you” to the incredible Voice Over Community! The comradery, kindness, and encouragement you all have bestowed upon me has leveled up my Spirit and enabled me to charge forward in seizing my dreams and spreading hope, love, and light into our world. I love you all and am so grateful for this magical life!

Website: www.crystaljproductions.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystaljproductions/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystaljproductions/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrystalMLee_VO

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrystalJProductionsInc/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSTvI97eZPhvfpmei-qn_aw

Other: www.animatedvoiceovers.com
Tiktok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdCk9pCn/ or @crystalmlee.vo 

Image Credits 
Akira Lee Watanabe, Piper Duncan, Jay, Aaron Jackson