Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kenneth Kellogg. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kenneth , appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I just completed a run of 9 different productions of the opera Blue by Jeanine Tesori and. Tazewell Thompson. I got a call from my agent telling me Francesca Zambello wanted me to do something. I’ve respected her work for years and wasn’t going to say “No” to any project she wanted me to do. I was then introduced to the composer Jeanine, who needed to hear me sing so she could write the part for my specific voice. I soon learned that Tazewell’s libretto was about a subject so close to my life. That opera was about a Black Family in Harlem dealing with the harsh reality to police violence. Being a part of this opera changed my life and perspective about what opera could be. For the first time I was portraying someone who I fully identified with as a Black man, husband and father in America. I’ve done the opera in the US and in Europe and witnessing how people were affected was inspiring. The experience changed and grounded me in finding my true identity in a field that traditionally doesn’t celebrate diversity. As a result I’m went and received my Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certification from Cornell University, I’ve become an advocate and consultant to artist and opera companies, pushing for more inclusive representation in the field. I coach singers and professionals on finding their authenticity in how they navigate the professional sphere.

Kenneth , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Before I had a career in music, I started singing at a young age and I came from a very pure, loving space. As a shy kid, music was a wonderful outlet to get all those emotions out. That joy of singing and some natural talent, over time, became my career. I travel the world performing operas with some of the most talented and driven people on the planet. Being a singer is a dynamic career which requires skills beyond just singing at the highest level. Singers are essentially small business owners, entrepreneurs who tend to every aspect of building an audience for oneself, while acting as ambassador for the art form at large. The skills developed traveling the world engaging with a diverse network of people and cultures to collaborate and bring an opera to life has translated into other endeavors. I’ve become a coach and consultant to other artists and professionals helping them find their authentic voices in their respective spaces. I also use my Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certification to advise and consult organizations in their IDEA initiatives.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

The power of art to move the human spirit and touch deepest parts of us is amazing to me. Art is something that we all gather around despite differences and enjoy. To be able to be a vehicle for something that impactful is a life long goal. To be able to help people be a part of that is a joy. Art, above all other things, art is the one thing that history looks back on to understand a moment in time. I don’t think artists of the past imagined their works sitting in modern museums heavily protected and insured for millions of dollars. To be a part of that fabric of creativity is an honor.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think the best thing society can do is for the arts is a bit of self reflection on what art really is and how it serves us. We’ve become so inundated with information and instant gratification that taking in art has become a casual thing. Art has always been and will always be a reflection of society itself. The goal of any artist is to make someone feel something. I think to foster this creative ecosystem there needs to be an understanding of the role of an artist.       

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.kennethkellogg.com
• Instagram: Kenneth Kellogg, Bass
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KennethKelloggBass
• Linkedin: Kenneth Kellogg
• Twitter: @kenkelloggbass

Image Credits
Valentina Sadiul Stefan Cohen