How I Mastered the National Anthem
When I moved back to Central Florida, I was returning as a completely different person.
I had left as a real estate broker. I came back as an opera singer, with a new company, a new brand, and a very clear sense of what I was here to do. But clarity on my end didn’t mean familiarity on anyone else’s. I had to reintroduce myself to the community, and more importantly, I had to earn trust in an entirely new market.
Trust, I’ve learned, comes before opportunity.
At that point, I wasn’t widely known locally. That meant I had to start where access was possible and relationships could be built quickly. I looked for what I considered low-hanging fruit, opportunities where my voice could speak for itself and where people could experience me live, in real time.
One of the most effective ways for a singer to do that, if you’re truly capable, is through the National Anthem.
There are countless events that require it. Veterans Day ceremonies. College athletics. Professional sports teams. Community organizations. And even beyond the major stages, there are high schools, smaller programs, and local events that all carry weight and meaning.
But here’s the truth that surprised even me. The National Anthem scared me. Actually, it terrified me.
People assume that because I’m an opera singer, the anthem should be easy. It isn’t. Everyone knows it’s hard to sing, and that includes classical singers. I’ve watched many talented vocalists struggle with it, often because they try to do too much. The anthem is not the place for excess. Too many liberties, too much embellishment, too much ego, and the moment is lost.
One of the first people who hired me to sing it in Hawaii said something that stayed with me. “Please don’t do too much. We’re used to singers over-singing it.”
That comment changed my entire approach.
Instead of trying to dominate the anthem, I decided to respect it. I committed to mastering it the same way I master anything else, through repetition, discipline, and live performance. I reached out to as many organizations as possible, not just for exposure, but because the fastest way for me to refine something is to do it in front of an audience.
For me, practice happens best under pressure.
That decision led me to sing the National Anthem for UCF football during the UCF versus Baylor game in 2023. It brought me to the Veterans Day Parade in Orlando for Mayor Buddy Dyer. It placed me with the Central Florida Marine Foundation, the Comradery Foundation, and the Central Florida Navy League. I sang for lacrosse championships, NAACP events, volleyball, and professional teams like the Orlando Valkyries.
It led to one of the most meaningful moments of my career, singing for NASA during the Crew 10 launch in March of 2025.
Along the way, I sang for UCF men’s basketball, Orlando Pride’s season opener in 2024 and their championship game in 2025, Orlando City Soccer’s season opener in 2025, and most recently, the Orlando Magic.
Each performance taught me something new. How to choose the right starting pitch when singing a cappella. How to pace my breath. How to honor my range without pushing. How to keep the anthem powerful, respectful, and unmistakably my own.
Over time, what once terrified me became something I truly mastered.
Today, I approach the National Anthem with confidence and care. I don’t oversing it. I don’t underplay it. I let it speak, while allowing my voice to carry it in a way that feels true to who I am as an artist. It has become one of the most meaningful ways I connect with audiences.
Because of these performances, I’ve gained supporters who follow me from event to event, waiting to hear me sing again. I’ve watched an entire community in Florida come together around this song and around my voice. That is something I will never take for granted.
The Star-Spangled Banner has opened doors for me, introduced me to people I never would have met otherwise, and allowed me to serve my country and my community through music.
If you’d like to hear me sing the National Anthem live, come join me tomorrow, Saturday, as I perform for the Orlando Magic versus the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Kia Center. I can’t wait to see you there.
