Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyaunnee Richardson.
Kyaunnee, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I began singing at the age of two. My grandmother discovered my gift of singing and to nourish it, she used to put a cassette player at the head of the bed and play music from Handel to the classic Disney. Opera come later into my life when I was around fourteen/fifteen years old and I have to say that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera is what sparked my passion for opera. I know to most hardcore opera goers this is not real opera but once I read the book, I rediscovered composers such as Meyerbeer to Gounod which led me to Puccini to Handel and so forth. My curiosity lead me to researching singers like Renee Fleming, Marian Anderson, Luciano Pavarotti, Leontyne Price and ECT and I immediately fell in love with it.
I originally wanted to be a doctor but my undergraduate voice teacher, Linda Considine, told me this: “Physicians heal the body but musicians heals the soul.” That did it for me. I went to New World School of the Arts and Florida State University and graduated with a Bachelors and a Masters in Vocal Performance. Since then, I have been traveling and performing in different places. I have had the chance to meet legendary singers of the operatic world and made lasting friendships. Truthfully, I cannot see myself doing anything else but this. It is my passion!
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am an opera singer which means I get perform the highest and difficult level of the performing arts. Intimidating and challenging, yes but it is a lot of fun! In this art form, I get to sing in different languages such as Italian, French, German, Spanish, Latin, English and even Russian. Each language and composer has their unique flavor and trademark which brings a certain quality and aspect to the music and the story they are telling. It is my duty as a performer to relay those variables to the audience along with my own interpretation from my own life experiences.
When people come to hear me perform, I want them to be transported into another world. People go to different art functions/performances to get away from the realities of the world. A cool example would be when we were kids, we always played imaginary games and come up with these ridiculous, out of this world scenarios that would take us to a sort of Never Neverland where we can just have unlimited fun. I remember never wanting to leave such a place because I was free. It’s funny how I get to do the same thing as my career whether I am performing an actual operatic work or I get to create a world by combining other songs in a recital.
It goes back to what my undergraduate voice teacher told me. One does not know what others are going through in life and music is that kind of medicine which truly puts the mind at ease and heals the soul. I want my audiences to feel free, to relax and to have fun and experience these stories with me. Victor Hugo once said, “Music expresses what cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.” It is extraordinary!
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
My advice to others who are trying to overcome these difficulties are to have a priority plan, be sensible, responsible, do what is right and have courage to trust your instincts—your gut, if you will—when facing these difficult decisions.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can support my work by visiting and subscribing to my website at www.kyaunnerichardson.com.
I list all of my upcoming events and I also send out newsletters so you can be a part of the adventure. You can support me by following on Instagram at Kyaunnee Richardson and Twitter @Kyaunnee_R. Also, you can like my Facebook at Kyaunnee Richardson, Soprano, subscribe to my YouTube channel at Kyaunnee Richardson and Sound Cloud at Kyaunnee Richardson. There you can listen and watch my performances.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kyaunneerichardson.com
- Email: kyaunneerichardson@yahoo.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kyaunneerichardson
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/KyaunneeRichardsonSoprano/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/Kyaunnee_R
- Other: https://soundcloud.com/kyaunnee-richardson
Image Credit:
Robert Stolpe, Lesliee R. McCree, Hubert William, Kristin Pulido, AFreeman, Suzanne Vinik-Richards and Jacob Patrick
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