Cierra Byrd

I've been singing for about 15 years, starting with classical voice and piano training at a very young age. I got involved in formal productions around age 10-11 and was initially on a musical theater track, hoping to work long-term with Disney. But about 8 years later, I found myself drawn into the classical music scene. I majored in music in both undergrad and graduate school, and I never missed a week of training - ever. During graduate school, the pandemic hit and I didn't have anything lined up, but I received a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to join the Young Artist Program at the Metropolitan Opera, which is a big deal because even though the program is here in the USA, less than half of the singers accepted are Americans. I was there for 4 years - 3 years of training and 1 year of principal work. One of my most memorable experiences was being assigned to an opera called Fire Shut Up in My Bones with celebrity composers and librettists who had connections to Spike Lee. After opening night, I walked out and there was Spike Lee, Delroy Lindo, Angela Bassett, and Terrence Blanchard - I was just freaking out. Later that year, we won a Grammy, which was really cool. I left the Met in 2024, and since then I've been doing freelance singing, performing leading roles with companies around the U.S. and doing competitions in Europe. My specialty right now seems to be new music - singing the new works of composers and bringing them to life. I have my eyes on Europe right now, but for now I'm singing in the US.