Rachel is a British soprano of Jamaican heritage and recent winner of the Sir Willard White Trophy grand prize of the Voice of Black Opera competition after which she made her BBC Radio 3 debut with a live broadcast of the arias, “Caro nome” and Lakmé’s “Bell Song”.

 

Rachel became a prize winner at several other competitions this year, including, the Grand Prix de la Voix du Centre d’Art Lyrique de la Méditerranée, where she won First Prize as well as the Audience Prize; the 14th Concours International de la Mélodie de Gordes, where she was a recipient of three prizes; and was first named as the Prix des Amis des Voix des Outre-Mer Christiane Eda-Pierre recipient awarded by the Concours Voix des Outre-mers, with whom she will perform Olympia The Tales of Hoffmann in the Reunion Island in February. 

 

Having made her Opéra de Nice Côte d’Azur debut in 2020 as Beketaten in Lucinda Childs’ award winning production of Akhnaten (P. Glass), Rachel was soon invited back to perform the roles, Fire and Water at the world premier of Babel (Monterisi/Thomas) in June 2022, and Nanetta Falstaff in the Réunion Famille Gala in preview of Opera Nice’s 2022/23 season.

 

Rachel’s previous roles include: Cupid (Venus & Adonis) in Venice, Italy; La Fée Cendrillon (P. Viardot), a role she performed with two separate companies, Centre d'Art Lyrique de la Méditerranée and Northern Opera Group in the spring and winter of 2020 respectively; Adele Die Fledermaus at Wilton's Music Hall; Queen of the Night Die Zauberflöte at the Théâtre du Petit Monde, Paris, and Elisetta Il Matrimonio Segreto. 

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Rachel obtained her bachelor's degree in music from Goldsmiths University in 2014 where she trained as a pianist-composer before sharing her final year of recital between piano and voice. She received her first composer commission in 2018 to write 1948 Windrush: “Get your coat, a lot water" commemorating 70 years since the ship docked in Tilbury, England, 22 days after leaving Kingston, Jamaica. The piece premiered in Kings Place, London, as part of the “Women of the Windrush” event curated by Shirley Thompson and was subsequently performed again at the Bernie Grant Arts Center the following year.

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On completion of her undergraduate studies at Goldsmiths in 2014, Rachel continued pursued her vocal development through private lessons and participation in Masterclasses with various esteemed pedagogues, including Anita Morrison (2015-2017), Gary Coward (2017-2020 ), Isabelle Guillaud (2017-present), Elizabeth Vidal & André Cognet, (2022-present), Nelly Miricioiu, David Gowland, Giles Havergal and Sophie Koch and, soon, Susan Manoff in Gordes. 

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In 2016, Rachel completed the Morley Opera School program, where she performed the roles of Despina (Così Fan Tutte), Zerbinetta (Ariadne Auf Naxos) and The Fairy (Cendrillon, Massenet) in the various quarterly productions Scènes d' Opera; founded and conducted the Holborn Community Orchestra in London; and became a soprano member of the Philharmonia Choir with which she toured world-renowned auditoriums including the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, La Palau de la Música in Valence and Le Nouveau Siècle in Lille.

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As well as singing and creating music, acting has always been a passion, and as a teenager Rachel attended acting summer schools most years, being equally drawn to