Jamaican soprano, Dr. Danielle Watson, earned her Doctorate and Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance from The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) under the tutelage of Dr. Kimberley Davis. Her doctoral research was centered on performing Shirley J. Thompson’s chamber opera: Women of the Windrush. She attained her Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Alcorn State University, where she returned three years of tutelage as adjunct voice instructor. A frequent finalist and semi-finalist at Mississippi state and regional voice competitions, Dr. Watson was awarded first place in the 2016 Southern Regional NATS voice competition and was a selected winner of the 2020 William T. Gower competition at USM.

Dr. Watson has performed several roles with the Southern Opera & Musical Theatre Company: Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Adina in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, Ms. Titmouse in Edwin Penhorwood’s Too Many Sopranos, and Sophie in Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier. She performed in Showboat, Carmen, and Faust productions hosted by the Natchez Festival of Music, and appeared as soprano soloist with the Mississippi Chorus performing Nathaniel Dett’s oratorio The Ordering of Moses. Dr. Watson has given frequent solo performances at the Natchez Music League, Nicholls State University for A Celebration of the Negro Spirituals, and at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast hosted by Mu Gamma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. She has also appeared as a soprano soloist with several Jamaican groups and has been invited to appear in concerts and recitals hosted by notable Jamaican organizations.

Dr. Watson is currently a member of the Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and holds the position of Assistant Professor of Vocal Studies at Virginia State University Department of Music.