Audra McDonald - "First You Dream" & "Stars & Moon" & "Summertime"

In honor of Black History Month all the posts for this month will feature artists of color.

Legend. Icon. Star. Diva. Mother. Inspiration. Activist. She is all of these things and more.

To say that Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry is an understatement. She is not just a singer, or an actor, or a performer, she is an artist and a very possibly an artistic genius. 

Primarily known for her work on the Broadway stage, she has won and incredible SIX  Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win all four acting categories.

In her example we can all stand to start believing a little more fully in ourselves. She never let someone else’s opinions of her change her opinion of self. This is something I greatly admire.

Audra Ann McDonald has appeared on the stage in both musicals and dramas, such as Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, and Porgy and Bess. With her full lyric soprano voice, she maintains an active concert and recording career, performing song cycles and operas as well as performing in concert throughout the U.S.

In 2016, McDonald was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama. In 2017 she was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.

I woke up with her voice ringing in my head screaming at me that it’s ok to accept things coming to you in a way that is different from what you planned. Acceptance and willingness to change, these are the things that keep dreams alive. 

So today, with every door open, I choose Audra McDonald’s versions of “First You Dream”, “Stars & Moon”, & “Summertime” as my, let it be ok, move the mountain not the river, every chance you can take, song for an, no longer wait until tomorrow, believe in the destination when you can only see the first steps, let your dreams live like a river running through you, Tuesday.