Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Oderah.
Hi Kayla, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Music has always felt like home for as long as I can remember. I could always get comfortable and stay in a great song or melody. I was the overly eager kid who sang too loud in the children’s choir at church. I looked forward to road trips because my parents would play tapes and CDs from start to finish, and I could sing along. Throughout the years, school and community chorus concerts pushed me to be brave and vulnerable when chosen for solos, a challenge (and thrill) I secretly enjoyed. Singing offered a sense of individuality and interpretive freedom, two things I valued as the independent oldest sibling in my family. Early on, my parents helped nurture small seeds of creativity and helped to provide opportunities for musical growth. Through voice lessons, yearly choir concerts, and attending the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, I felt deep down that singing was worth pursuing. I went through a rigorous audition process during my senior year of high school. I was eventually chosen to be a Kenan Music Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Receiving this scholarship was, without a doubt, a watershed moment in my journey. The scholarship allowed me to study voice in a formalized setting and gave me the foundation and desire to pursue opera as a career path. It’s been almost a decade since I graduated. Yet, I still get that same thrill and challenge while performing professionally on stage. This season, I’m singing as a Handorf Company Artist at Opera Memphis, and after all these years, music still feels like home. I feel so lucky and grateful that I get to do what I love here in Memphis every day!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I can’t say that the road has always been smooth, but it has been undoubtedly rewarding. As a professional opera singer, I know that there are an array of challenges that come with choosing this path. It requires a lot of patience, self-discipline, and mental/emotional fortitude. The industry has an abundance of talented singers vying for a few coveted jobs. It requires a lot of travel, sometimes being away from family and missing milestones. My nephew was born this Spring, and I had already been scheduled to sing a recital on the day of the baby shower so that I couldn’t make it. The FOMO can be real. Over time, I’ve learned to lean into the inevitable challenges and, instead of fighting them, make peace with them. My family and friends’ support has given me the confidence to keep going in times of discomfort. Prayer and meditation have also helped me tremendously when encountering these challenges.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to be more familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
As an opera singer, I tell stories on stage through music. A colleague of mine set it best when she joked, “We get to sing some of the greatest hits of the last 500 years”. But it’s true: I get to tell stories with my voice (often in other languages like Italian, French, and German), all accompanied by an orchestra and or pianist. It’s a collaborative art form, so bringing all the elements together makes it engaging and fun. I’m most proud of the times I’ve sung; it resonates with others. Singing feels like home, but it’s gratifying when I get to invite people in with my voice and make them feel like they belong, especially in an art form historically viewed as elitist. The diversity of colors in my vocal sound is what sets me apart. I’m performing with Opera Memphis in two upcoming productions that I’m excited about. We’re doing the opera La Calisto on March 22/23 and the opera La Bohème on May 17/18th.
Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Many opera singers use an iPad and have an app called forScore that allows us to see our sheet music and make edits. It’s a lifesaver and will enable me to carry tons of music on one device. Listening to music on streaming platforms also helps me to study and unwind from my day. I love the “Jazz Vibes” playlist on Spotify in particular. I also like reading daily devotionals for inspiration. I love books by Benjamin Hardy and biographies like, ‘The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl’ by Issa Rae.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kaylaoderah.com
- Instagram: diva_redefined
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093242512364
Image Credits
Opera Memphis for two photos with instrumentalists and attendees in them. Shon Curtis Photography takes Personal Photo.
