OF OPULENCE AND OPERAS

Of all the Black women singers whom I admire, the one who inspires me the most is the late Jessye Norman – who was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia during the era of racial segregation and went on to become a world-famous opera singer.

The reason I admire Jessye Norman goes beyond the fact that she overcame many obstacles to attain great renown in a musical realm where Black women are a rare presence. Ever since middle school, it seems like her life has been a beacon in my own quest to become a classical singer.

The connections and commonalities run so deep that I know it's destiny for me to follow in her footsteps. It all began in 7th grade when I had to do a project on an influential Black woman for my U.S. History Course. I got assigned to do a report on Jessye Norman.

A true diva

I remember immediately becoming fascinated with the lifestyle she was able to achieve through her singing career. For instance, she was known to request a specific type of Rolls Royce to pick her up from the airport. Only a true diva could pull of something like that.

I also found her childhood interesting. For example, she began singing gospel in church when she was four. And she would listen to performances of the Metropolitan Opera on the radio, not knowing that one day she would perform there herself.

Similar childhoods

About three years ago, during my first year in high school, I had planned to focus on piano. But when my voice instructor heard me sing once during a rehearsal, she told me that I had the perfect voice to become a classical singer. After that, my mom also encouraged me become a classical singer as well.

The encouragement I got from my mom reminds me of the kind of encouragement and support that Jessye Norman got from her parents in her childhood.

Dream school

Fast forward six to my senior year in high school, where I find myself applying for the music program at my dream school – Howard University – which just so happens to be the same school where Jessye Norman won a scholarship to study voice.

In my application to Howard, I spoke about all the ways that Jessye Norman's life relates to mine. I hope that by going to Howard, I can achieve the same level of success as she did over half a century ago.

Not the norm

I know I have an uphill battle.

In this era, pop and R&B music have taken over. When the average person thinks of Black women in music, classical music is not typically what comes to mind. The singers who come to mind are Black women such as Aretha Frankin, known as "The Queen of Soul," Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Patti Labelle, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and so on. But rarely do you hear anyone mention, say, Marian Anderson, who was Jessye Norman's inspiration much the way Jessye Norman is mine. This barely leaves any shine for women who pursue careers as classical singers, even though they may train for years to become one.

In some ways, it bothers me that Black classical singers are not noticed as much as the divas of R&B. Part of it may be because people may be unaware that Black classical singers even exist. This lack of familiarity with singers such as Jessye Norman used to discourage me, but now it only makes me want to do more to break the so-called “norm.”

Closer to my dream

In the meantime, I take voice lessons every Monday afternoon, which is a big help for staying inspired and learning new material. I would like to open for classical ensembles and sing as a soloist later in my career.

Thankfully, I am able to receive free lessons through an anonymous donor who has graciously decided to cover my music lesson fees. This motivates me to want to make the people who support me proud. It also inspires me to want to help others.

Along those lines, I hope to one day give my fellow young Black women classes in how to become classical singers. Jessye Norman had a similar passion. There's a school in her hometown of Augusta that bears her name. It's called the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, and it provides after-school programs for free. Jessye Norman endowed the school when it first began in 2003.

She passed away in 2019 at the age of 74 but her legacy lives on.