Ambitious. Talented. Cheerful. These are just a few words to describe Alexandria Hunter, named Miss Black USA Talented Teen 2021. Hunter works hard through authenticity, which leads her on a path to unapologetically chase her dream of empowering young girls.
An all-star student with active involvement in choir, theater, cheerleading, student government, and national honor societies, Hunter traced her love for music to writing music and starting voice lessons at age six.
“I fell in love with singing and continued,” said Hunter. After discovering that she could pursue classical singing as a career in 10th grade, Hunter began working at full speed to become an influential opera singer uplifting others’ spirits through music.
“When I had that revelation, I never stopped, and I have been working toward being a professional opera singer and performer ever since,” Hunter said.
Hunter received classical vocal training at the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute and opera training with Academy Voice Teaching Artist James Myers throughout her high school career. With total effort and dedication in her vocal training, Hunter captured lead roles in her high school theater productions and was selected for All-County, All-District, and All-Virginia Choir. In summer 2020, Hunter made her first international opera performance through the AAMS International Summer Music Institute in Tampere, Finland.
Hunter didn’t stop grasping her dream after becoming a vocal performance student at James Madison University. She continued pushing herself to be the best of the best and tested her strengths through the Miss Black USA Talented Teen competition.
“Watching all of these talented young women who looked like me left a lasting impression on me,” said Hunter, who first participated in a pageant program when she was eight. “I made it a goal of mine to compete as a teen when I was old enough.”
Hunter’s hard work paid off. She earned Miss Black Virginia Talented Teen title in 2019 and competed against 50 contestants for the national title, all while finishing up high school, applying for colleges, and juggling her involvement in the English and music honor societies, a school theater production, and the student government.
“Winning the national title still feels surreal,” said Hunter. “I was with my mom at the time [when I found out the result], and we were jumping with joy. It really was a great moment.”
Alongside fame and success from the competition, Hunter will share her incredible voice and launch her heartfelt campaign—providing encouragement and inspiration to communities desperately in need through stories and the sound of music.
As she has always been true to herself, Hunter is ready to serve as a voice for women of color to redefine the narratives around women of color and empower young girls to become compassionate and confident individuals.