Erika Grace Powell

Short Bio:

Katherine Jenkins. Sissel. Sarah Brightman. Charlotte Church. Giorgia Fumanti.

Power popera divas of the last three decades, please welcome to the ranks your latest addition: Erika Grace Powell, or as her fans like to say – EGrace.

With a pedigree including training with A-list coaches, educators and directors; performances on the world's most exclusive stages; a hot-selling EP and another soon-to-be-released; and a voice sounding at home and in command whether it's classical, Broadway, jazz or pop, it's no small wonder that the major labels and MTV have begun to court her.

And, yes – she won Miss South Carolina. Twice.

With recent performances on both coasts and throughout the south, EGrace continues to expand her now 12,000 and growing followers wherever her feet and tweets touch ground. Her work with numerous charitable organizations as board member, spokesperson, keynote speaker, red carpet host, and entertainment headliner has allowed her even more opportunities to use her voice and gifts for the greater good.

Whether it's with your symphony, festival, or special event, one thing you can rest assured – she'll do it all with grace.

Extended bio:

Erika Grace Powell, native South Carolinian and a proud Furman University Vocal Performance graduate, has been singing since she was about eighteen months old. First performing in her own living room with the fireplace hearth as her ‘stage’, Erika always wanted to be singing to an audience. Childhood experiences included multiple productions with her Church Children’s Choir and The South Carolina Children’s Theatre. High School Chorale included a trip to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York and the dream for Erika to someday live in New York City was born.

Furman University was a fertile proving ground of experience as Erika studied voice performance with private lessons and participation in Furman Singers, Chamber Choir, Chapel Choir, and many solo performance opportunities. Erika’s broad musical talents include opera, classical crossover, jazz, musical theatre, and pop. While at Furman, Erika was privileged to perform leading roles in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. She was both the state and regional winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Competition for South Carolina and the Southeast five different times. Through the Furman Singers International tour, Erika enjoyed the experience of performing in many concert halls and Cathedrals in Russia, Estonia, Finland and Italy. In the summer of 2007 Erika was engaged for Lyrique en Mer/Festival de Belle Ille, the largest Opera Festival in Western France, performing Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann and Verdi’s La Traviata. After winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions for South Carolina, Erika competed in the regional Competition in Atlanta in 2009.

Erika continued to perform after moving to New York, and made her solo debut at The Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City in 2010. She was recently seen in The New York Philharmonic’s 2011 production of Janácek’s The Cunning Little Vixen. Erika is contracted to perform regularly with the Concert Chorale of New York, the official chorus of The New York Philharmonic. In 2011, Erika was selected out of over 6,000 submissions as a Top-25 Global Semi-Finalist in the Avon Voices Talent Search with Avon Cosmetics. She was privileged to coach and perform alongside many of Avon Voices celebrity judges, including Fergie, Natasha Bedingfield, David Pack, and Lea Solanga. Thrilled with the opportunity to collaborate with platinum-selling singer/songwriter, Edwin McCain and music producer/engineer, Noel Golden of Golden Music and Entertainment 29 on her first CD project, Erika’s music is now available on iTunes and Amazon. The professional studio recording experience crystallized the goal of securing a professional recording contract in the future. Erika’s ultimate ambition is a performance career in theater, concert halls and recording venues worldwide.