Alicia Olatuja & Christian Sands Duo

A vocalist commanding both a rich, powerful voice and an approachable, dignified stage presence. The New York Times notes that Olatuja holds a unique gift: a full-bodied tone with exact pitch control, whether speaking softly or singing loudly. When this St. Louis-born singer, composer, and teacher performs, audiences listen intently. Her musical artistry blends jazz, blues, gospel, classical music, pop, and Afropop into a compelling tapestry. This embrace of diverse sounds has allowed her to collaborate with many artistsfrom jazz legends like Chris Botti, Christian McBride, and Michael Olatuja to R&B and gospel icons Chaka Khan and BeBe Winans. Growing up in St. Louis exposed her to a wide range of musical influences. Inspired by Whitney Houston, she began singing at age five. She sang in the Berean Seven Day Adventist Church, listened extensively to Black music including jazz, R&B, and soul, and received classical training as an opera mezzo-soprano. After double-majoring in veterinary medicine and music at the University of Missouri, Olatuja moved to New York City in 2005 and later earned a master's degree in classical voice/opera from the Manhattan School of Music. She made her recital debut at Carnegie Hall and her professional debut as Sacagawea at Opera Memphis.