2017 Romance of the Mission Concert Artist

Tony and Grammy Award Winner Heather Headley

"Heather Headley is among the top singers with a vocal that absolutely astounds with its intensity... This woman is one of the great entertainers of the day, on record and on stage (Billboard Magazine).” Tony and Grammy Award Winner Heather Headley considers her multi-faceted career a blessing. She was born and spent most of her childhood on the beautiful Caribbean island of Trinidad. The family moved to the United States in the early 90’s where Heather’s love for the arts continued. In 1997, Tony and Grammy Award Winner Heather Headley won the role of in the original Broadway cast of the and Tim Rice’s hit Tony winning musical . While still in The Lion King, Heather was asked to audition for the title role in the writing duo’s next Broadway venture together, Elton John and Tim Rice’s . Her portrayal of the Nubian princess, Aida, won her the praise of critics and the prestigious Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. In addition to other awards, she also received the coveted for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. Heather continued her musical success on the pop charts with her 2002 debut album on RCA Records, This Is Who I Am which featured productions by several top-flight producers. Heather earned numerous accolades for This Is Who I Am, including Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. In 2009 Heather released Audience of One for which she won the Grammy Award for the Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album. In 2016 Heather made a triumphant return to Broadway playing Shug Avery in “The Color Purple”.