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The Colored Coloratura (Sasha Massey - Lafayette, LA)

Isolated for my ability, then shoved away like a wind-up doll. Look up the movie Trick Baby. The dinner scene. That shut up and sing talk will not fly.
“You should sing jazz.” That's one thing I like but it doesn't fill up my heart.
“You should sing opera.” I do but where I live people only care about beer, zydeco &football. She shall not fetch and step it.
“You should be famous.” Gee thanks, have you recommended my work to anyone? Shared/reposted my videos? 
“You don’t look like a singer.” You mean I don't look wealthy or I'm not a skinny blonde with a tan that's way too dark and implants where I'm already blessed with sizeable peach? Gee thanks.
“Black people sing opera?” Why yes. There are many classical black voices that get passed over for being too dark, not a big enough name...and they become the many unheard that get carted out for the month of February. So who sing roles like Aida instead? Out comes the bronzer, afro wigs...shoe polish
Sit down with me over a cup or blueberry tea and I can tell you all about a recent incident.
“You should be singing all over the world!” My heart would leap at it fully. Try to rememer...With no money in an elitist system? With no parents, no one rooting for me to managers, agents, it’s all just lip service. Sure...
A media company owner commissioned a demo from me and then did nothing with. I've see some pretty sad excuses for commercials on local tv that reflect a mammy in ads. Black women belting lawyer jingles.
 “You should be in musicals! There's a token black lady part you would be perfect for.” Not going to be cooning.
“You have the voice of an angel!” Thank you. Singing with straight tone involves more chest voice and brighter tone coloring than people realize. Sometime people take me for 10 years younger.
 “You sound like a contralto.” Also an illusion when I have to color darkly for a piece. Fiddling with mouth resonance. 
“I love those negro spirituals you sing.”  They are America's Classical Music. They chronicle its sins in slavery and the human spirit believing in God to get through wretched pain-filled lives.
“Why don't you go on American Idol or America’s Got Talent hm?” On and on and on...they chew people up and spit them out. They would try to make me sing pop or try to mash it up into an aria. Funny how studying and learning to actually read music comes off as being a haughty snob when school is so expensive people end up with a degree &debt.
Skin as currency. Black mother white father.

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