Lillian Channelle – Bio

Lillian Channelle sang her first solo with the choir of a southern Baptist church where her uncle was a minister. She was four years old. It would appear Lillian (called Lily growing up) was anointed and appointed to use her voice to uplift those around her. Her father’s military service took the family from Georgia to Germany, then back to Southern California. Singing and performing were a constant throughout her early childhood in the US and abroad. Then came tenth grade, where she found her voice’s truest expression: as an operatic soprano. 

Mrs. Reeb was the Honors English Teacher for Lillian’s high school and as luck (or destiny) would have it, an opera lover. While attending a concert to see her husband sing with the local college jazz band, Mrs. Reeb was shocked to see her student on stage performing with the college band. Lillian’s high school band teacher, Mr. Garvin, so impressed with her abundant talent, had recruited her to sing with the college jazz band he directed. Listening to young Lily sing, Ms. Reeb was mesmerized by the talent in such a young student. Her teacher gave her two albums that would change the course of young Lillian’s life: Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman. 

When Lillian played both albums by African American opera singers, she fell in love at first sound. So touched by this beautiful music she had not known existed, but somehow her voice was perfectly created to sing, young Lily told her parents she wanted to learn opera. More than a teacher, Ms. Reeb became a friend to the young teen with the voice of an angel. Her dying wish as she was losing her battle to cancer, was that Lillian would sing at her funeral. Overcome with emotion, Lily almost made it through the song before she choked up and couldn’t finish. 

Decades later, Lillian holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Voice Performance from UNLV. But she’s been teaching voice for prestigious programs and independently, directing choirs and mentoring students since she was a young girl herself. How does one go from being a young Black girl in a small town to a respected, award-winning, Soprano in one of the most culturally exclusive professions in the world? It wasn’t an easy road. But it’s a remarkable one. And the trials, tribulations, and ultimate triumphs lit a passion that still fires her up today—diversity and inclusion in Opera. So, while performing as the lead on stages around the world, recording her own albums, and serving as faculty in esteemed programs, Lillian created the Lillian Channelle Foundation (formerly titled: Voccalis. International).

Young Lily had tons to learn on her own to bridge the cultural gap. Having lived in Germany and around the world as the youngest of three siblings in a military family, she loved languages and cultures. Lillian embraced everything her musical education and career gave her, but there was a lot of ground to make up. 

She had to learn new languages (German, Spanish, Italian), learn music theory, learn to play the piano, and how to master her gift of a soprano voice so she could perform at the most elite levels. Being introduced to masters like Bach and Mozart was thrilling but overwhelming. There was so much knowledge to accumulate to catch up to her peers. She hadn’t learned any of this growing up; so, when everyone around her was sleeping, she was busy studying. 

Lillian Channelle’s accomplishments speak for themselves. She’s stepped on stages around the world to perform as a soloist and to accept numerous prizes and awards. She’s recorded and released her own music and continues to teach. 

Considering all that she’s accomplished from humble beginnings to a celebrated career, what has meant the most to her?

 “I had this God-given voice but couldn’t get through a song until I studied and learned my craft. There was so much more to learn, how to dress and audition, and network. I’d never even had a headshot. I hadn’t been exposed to any of it, and it was hard being an outsider. After everything I accomplished on my own, I knew all the ways in which I could make this easier for other people. It didn’t have to, and shouldn’t have to, be this hard. And that became my catalyst to help others in the same circumstances as I was.”

The Lillian Channelle Foundation will ensure that others who walk the same path will have someone on their side to help guide them. Lillian Channelle won competition after competition with no one backing her, yet she still faced difficulties getting the best gigs (that were often handed to colleagues that were insiders). “These people came from the right programs and operas and had all the major agents looking for them. I didn’t have a clue what that was and so I didn’t use it to my advantage. It wasn’t my world.”

The thing about Life is that our challenges can be transformed into our purpose. And when that happens, it’s one of the most glorious, powerful transformations we can experience. Succeeding despite the struggles of being an outsider in a privileged world makes Lillian the perfect person to help others. “The problem I have with academia in arts is they don’t help talented people get careers, get working. It’s like they give you training and just push you out. And a few get lucky and the rest left flailing in the wind.” 

What’s her goal with her foundation? 

“We’re going to give students a plan, so when they get out they have connections. And we’re getting them work. I saw first-hand what is missing: education that leads to an actual career. We’re changing that.”

Of all the challenges Lily faced with courage and poise, the most painful would be her parents passing on from this world. For the first time since falling in love with Opera, she lost the will to sing. Her parents, Ernest Roberts III and Betty Roberts had been her first and biggest fans. They dedicated their time, energy, love, and financial support to her career. But as always, she found a way back to her calling. “I invested money from an inheritance they left me into an album for them, for us.” She created a pop opera album aptly named, Tribute that is uniquely innovative in its blend of opera, hip-hop, pop, Latin, Jazz, and Rock. 

Today Lillian is living her purpose as a singer, actor, teacher, entrepreneur, and fashion designer. Leveraging her talents and expertise, she helps others make their own way in the arts so they can live their true gift and calling. By giving an opportunity to those who have traditionally been excluded, she’s powerfully impacting the world of Opera. And not one to limit herself, Lillian also helps students of many other contemporary music genres. “I believe in singing more than one genre, being versatile so you can work as a singer more proficiently and protect your voice at the same time.”