TEDx Bermuda: From spiritual to soul to opera

It was interesting to hear a little bit of Bermudian songstress Joy T. Barnum’s back story ahead of her electrifying performances.

 She told of her strict religious upbringing and the challenges that presented for her as a musician.

Her love of rock music did not sit well with her church. She learned to use her voice as an "instrument” as her church saw instruments as a distraction. She began her set with a soul stirring song from her recently released Negro Spirituals album.

Next up was her own unique rendition of George Gershwin’s Summer Time.

The song began high and haunted then after the first verse switch into a sassy soul diva.

Ending with her operatic hit You Can’t See Me just went to show the versatility of this singer. Perhaps this reflects her culturally diverse background.

A large portion of the audience stood up after this emotive performance.

To find out more visit www.joytbarnum.com