Meet Aria Hope

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aria Hope.

Ms. Aria Hope, a native of Winston Salem, North Carolina was born on October 14, 1989. She attended Appalachian State University, where she studied classical music and was vocally trained under the direction of Dr. Priscilla Porterfield. While at the Hayes School of Music, Ms. Hope performed a variety of arias (a long, accompanied song for a solo voice, typically one in an opera or oratorio) in languages such as German, Italian, French, Russian, Spanish, and English. Aria also studied music internationally in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Zululand South Africa, at the University of Johannesburg in 2009. Aria’s acting career started in 2007, when she starred in her first rock musical Joseph the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat as the leading role of the narrator. Since then, Aria has performed in the Opera L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love) by Gaetano Donizetti, Building God’s House as Young Mildred with the Winston Salem Performing Arts Alliance, Black Nativity & Glory of Gospel with the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, and Black Stars of the Great White Way in the 2015 National Black Theater Festival.

Since moving to Houston, Texas in 2016 Aria has worked under the direction of John Cash Carpenter in Ghost the Musical at Lone Star Community College North Harris, and Harold Jay Trotter in productions including When Temptation Comes & The Messiah of Oz with 1989 Dream Productions. Aria also performed in the 2019 Fade to Black Festival and portrayed artist such as Betty Wright, and Aretha Franklin in Houston’s well know Dancing in the Streets Motown and More Revue in May of 2019. Since then, Aria has landed a lead role in the Broadway Play “Pecong” as Mediyah, an all-powerful Obeah Queen, written by Steve Carter and directed by Julio J. Pete Peterson III, with JPETE Theater company. This show will open later this year, October 25-27, 2019.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Nothing worth having ever comes easy. Of course in an industry as competitive as the entertainment industry you run into roadblocks, not so nice people, people who pretend to be someone that they’re not and promise you empty promises. Not to mention medical problems that led me to have surgery on my vocal chords to remove polyps from overuse of my voice in 2014. You can imagine how devastated I was when the doctors told me that I couldn’t talk for about three weeks and couldn’t sing for at least two months. But God never leads me anywhere that he can’t carry me through! So for that, I wouldn’t change my journey for the world. Closed doors, and difficulties along the way is what gave me the ammunition to try harder and keep going! I was born for the arts!

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a Singer/Actress/Model/Poet. I am a well-rounded artist. Aria Hope is most known for the gift of voice that God has given me. Even when I don’t sing a word, people always compliment me on the rich sultry tone of just my speaking voice. And with all except modeling I use my voice for everything that I do…… singing, acting, poetry and even in my day job as a 5th-grade educator. I believe that my tone, my passion for what I do, my personality, and my faith in God sets me apart from other artists.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Well, the definition of success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose; a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity. With that being said, I measure my success upon personal growth and fulfillment. I strive daily to be a better person today than the person I was yesterday. I challenge myself with every project that I do. These challenges usually include something that I am absolutely afraid of. Auditions are the least of my worries, but the real work begins after you’ve landed a particular role that requires an accent that you’ve never used before, a song that is completely out of your range, or a dance that requires a tad bit more coordination than you possess. Sounds weird, but I purposely challenge myself to do things that I fear, because once that process is completed, and I have overcome that fear, I then know that I have grown, therefore resulting in success!

3 Comments

1. 

   Johnnetta Brown

   August 6, 2019 at 6:40 pm

   Lil sis, I am so proud of who you were, who you are and who you will be… Keep being Aria!! I love ya

   Reply
2. 

   Sylvia Jackson

   August 6, 2019 at 8:04 pm

   Awesome. Love it

   Reply
   • 

     Aria

     September 2, 2019 at 2:32 am

     Awww thank you so much! Love you 😘

     Reply