Today we’d like to introduce you to Bela Souza.
Bela, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up singing on worship teams at church and was heavily involved in choir all through middle school and high school. I fell in love with musical theatre when I was cast as a lead in the 8th Grade musical. The adrenaline rush of performing live was exhilarating and I knew I wanted to pursue music seriously from that moment on. I went on to major in Musical Theatre in college and honed my skills as a vocalist and an actress. After graduation in 2011, I performed professionally for years with several regional theaters, touring theaters and theme parks. I also started singing for wedding bands and private events and I still do currently.
In 2015, I unexpectedly started teaching private voice and piano lessons as a side gig, but I ended up loving teaching and I have taught for over 9 years. I opened my own business, Bela Voce Studio, to grow my private teaching studio. Performing is my first love and continues to be, but there is something so rewarding about sharing the gift of music with others through teaching. I love to see my students have those light bulb moments when something finally clicks for them vocally or when they finally learn a difficult piano piece.
I feel so blessed by God to be able to do what I love every day. Singing is a gift that I don’t take for granted. It brings me so much joy to share that gift with the world and to encourage others to grow in their love for music.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Most things in life that are worth it require you to go through some trials for growth. In the theater world, you learn very quickly how to deal with rejection. You have to have a thick skin, unfortunately. I think that the amount of competition you’re up against can be daunting as well. I struggled with the rejection at times, but I had to keep reminding myself that the opportunities that were meant for me, would be mine no matter what. I had to trust that if a door closed, that God had something better in mind for me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a professional singer and I teach private voice and piano lessons. I sing for weddings, corporate and private events. I sing all genres, but I’m most known for singing jazz.
I opened my business, Bela Voce Studio, in 2023, but I have been teaching for 9 years. I specialize in vocal coaching, specifically musical theater, but I also teach beginner/early intermediate piano.
I’m most proud of singing back up for Josh Groban when he did his Florida concerts in 2014 and 2020. It was an amazing experience!
I would say what sets me apart as a vocalist is that I’m super versatile because I sing in Portuguese and Spanish. I love to sing Bossa Nova and Latin music.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I am a new mom! Juggling motherhood and growing my business has been challenging and so rewarding at the same time. I love being a girl mom!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Belavocestudio.com
- Instagram: @Belassings
- Facebook: Bela Voce Studio
