Marian Anderson. Leontyne Price. Jessye Norman. You may be familiar with these esteemed Black women, who are some of the most celebrated and well-known opera singers of all time. But the fact remains that Black women in opera are still highly underrepresented — and largely unknown. One entrepreneur, and opera singer, Renee Namakau Ombaba, hopes to change that through her venture: Black Women in Opera. Read on to learn more about her journey, what compelled her to launch this platform, and her plans for the future of Black Women in Opera.
Tell us about your background in music, and how you ventured into opera.
I started singing at a very young age. Before I could talk (or would talk), I imitated Whitney Houston and The Clark Sisters. My mom cleaned our home church weekly, so my sister and I banged on the church piano every chance we could get. My mom signed us up for professional lessons, with her limited budget, and thus, I entered the word of classical music. I started telling people I sang opera around the age of 12. My voice did not fit our gospel choir, so I used it as a way to explain my voice. I watched a video of Kathleen Battle in middle school, and I was completely sold
In high school, my choir teacher, who was a former opera singer, gave me lessons. I performed an opera aria for my high school in the 12th grade. I did not want to stop singing opera. I went to Jackson State University to continue studying opera.
Tell us the story behind Black Women in Opera and what inspired you to launch.
I founded Black Women in Opera in February 2019. I wanted to do an educational Black history Instagram project that sparked my passion. I love Black women/femme/non-gender confirming people, and uplifting opera singers. I quit singing after college because I hated my voice and felt I could never have a real career. Because I care about young singers, I decided to showcase people with various careers and voice types. It has grown so much over the past year and a half to becoming a space that creates content, encourages, uplifts, and challenges us.
Tell us about your commitment to Black women in the field of opera.
I love to encourage young Black Women/femme/non-gender confirming people because in the conversations of race or gender, we are always the ones left out. I believe we can be at the forefront of discussions on social change. Research shows that sustainable development does not work without women. In order to create a more beautiful world, encouraging Black women — I mean all Black women — to use their voice, to trust their voice, and to love their voice, makes this so much more possible.
How did you go about launching your venture?
Outside of love and passion, I started with research. I sought to fill in the gaps of other opera blogs. There was such a limited online presence for Black opera singers. Many people in my generation aren’t familiar with that many Black opera singers, so I wanted to create a space where they can see us in the thousands. I used my original hashtag #blackwomeninopera (like Essence Magazine’s Black Women in Hollywood) as the name of the account because there were less than five posts that used the hashtag. After the first year, I went to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to get help establishing the LLC. I have a website and now and I’m fine tuning my mission and goals for Black Women in Opera.
Did you launch your venture solo, or in partnership with someone else/others?
I run a one Black woman shop. I launched the venture on my own.
What has been the most rewarding part of launching Black Women in Opera? Of being in business for yourself?
The most rewarding part is seeing the community form and hearing that singers will not give up just because of the page. I love that. I love to help singers win for themselves and the community.
What were some of the major challenges/roadblocks you faced?
I faced SO MANY!! The greatest was imposter syndrome. I felt very insecure, wondering if I was the right person for this work. I wondered if I was posting the right themes, if people would even care, if I was neglecting Black men, if queer/trans people felt included. I have to overcome my self-doubt with every single post, and I post everyday. The emotional work has really transformed me, and honestly, my artistry as well.
When I say Black Women in Opera saved my life, I mean that for real. When I lost my job in October of 2019, I just felt lost. I questioned how I would sustain myself in this expensive city. I used that loss and what I’ve learned from my job to create a brand that I wish I had when I was a young singer.
What do you hope to achieve with Black Women in Opera?
I hope to one day run Black Women in Opera as a non-profit that teaches high school students opera, while emerging artists get community service hours and credit towards young artists programs’ application fees, and other expenses related to opera. Opera is not a cheap art, and I know many Black singers quit because the return is not fruitful. I hope to create a community with the group for Black women/femme to grow in love and through opera. One day, I would love to build a network like Oprah or have a Black Women in Opera show on OWN one day.
Tell us about any key partnerships/co-ventures you have currently in the works.
All participants of Black Women in Opera (those posted, and other opera singers) are my partners. They often provide the content for the social media page. My mom and sister play a big part because I ask them to view original content at all times of the day and night. I recently connected with other Black content creators in the arts, like Broadway Black and Black Girls do Theater, which is very encouraging. I host a show on YouTube called The BWIO Show, which is a show geared towards the mental, physical, and emotional health of Black opera singers.
Who, or what brand would you love to work with?
I would love to work with my fellow Mississippian, Oprah Winfrey. I follow her early career model to shape my ideas for Black Women in Opera. I would also love to work with more schools to educate and engage young people with opera.
I’d love to be featured in Essence and Ebony magazines. I also want to work with a Black-owned clothing brand to create original leisure or rehearsal wear for Black opera singers. I’d also love to work with Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY to create Black opera films and Black opera stories. I have so many dreams for the future of Black Women in Opera.
What advice would you give to others wanting to launch such a unique and creative venture?
Go for it! But be prepared for the personal growth. You will be challenged to grow, but if there’s passion and love, it’ll be good. Most importantly, restate your “why” in every step, with every element of the venture. If your moves do not match your “why,” don’t do it. Don’t move forward.
What is your ultimate goal with Black Women in Opera?
My ultimate goal is to have the brand run itself. I love doing the daily work, but I’m forward-thinking to the day where there can be more balance between my life and the brand. I love Black Women in Opera!
Learn more about Black Women in Opera by visiting the website. You can also show your support by buying a T-shirt, joining the mailing list to get updates about the show, and following Black Women in Opera on Instagram.
