Black Vocality as Cultural Capital

ABSTRACT This article investigates the use of the voice by five Black opera and musical theatre performers. The performers discuss the approaches that they take in the representation of music that requires integrated vocality, which amalgamates elements from Western classical vocalism and stylistic genres of traditionally Black forms like gospel, jazz, and blues. Data were collected through audio/visual analysis, interviews, and video stimulated recall. The emergent theme explored is as follows: A singer positions themself at the nexus of their cultural legacy as a learner, exemplar, advocate, and transmitter of culture. A Black singer consciously uses musical strategies when presenting and re-presenting music based in culturally affirming aesthetics. The artist becomes skilled at executing Black vocal aesthetics to encourage other artists and to perpetuate Black culture.