Biography

Renee Namakau Ombaba was raised in Jackson, Mississippi and moved to the DMV in 2015. Born to Zambian and Kenyan parents in Lowell, MA, she learned her love for music at an early age. She enjoyed banging on the piano while her mom cleaned their home church in Jackson, MS. Noticing Renee Namakau’s interest in music, Ms. Lewanika (Renee’s mom) enrolled her nine-year old daughter in piano lessons. By the age of 12, Renee Namakau began telling many of her friends that she was an opera singer. She often took on the persona of an opera diva. To fulfill her dream, she earned her Bachelors in Vocal Performance from Jackson State University in 2012. In 2014, she diversified her studies by earning her Master’s in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi.

Renee Namakau credits her mother for helping her embrace her identity. While in elementary school, Renee Namakau was teased for her African heritage. To lift Renee’s spirits, Ms. Lewanika told stories about their royal lineage beginning with stories about her father Godwin A. Mbikusita Lewanika, King of Bartoseland. As Ms. Lewanika told Renee the family history, Renee began to embrace her status as a Princess of Barotseland.

In 2019, Renee Namakau founded Black Women in Opera (BWIO) to highlight the past and current achievements of Black women opera singers. BWIO seeks to be the premiere source of knowledge and news about Black opera divas. In the future, the organization will be instrumental in sponsoring the vocal education of high school seniors. She learned the value of strong female leadership in her home and her community at a young age. Her grandmother’s and aunt’s devotion to women’s suffrage and political advancement in Zambia sparked her interest in women’s empowerment. BWIO allows Renee Namakau to marry her love for music with her passion of uplifting women in this male-dominated field.

Performance Experience

Since earning her degree in music, she has given numerous recitals in Mississippi and Washington, DC. She performs soprano and coloratura soprano works by Mozart, Offenbach, Burleigh, Handel, and more. During the 2019 Christmas season, she debuted as the Messiah and Saint-Saens Christmas Oratorio Soprano soloist. In addition to classical music, she studied jazz under Rhonda Richmond and Dr. Branch in Jackson, MS. She performed as Lorraine in Hairspray and as a member of the ensemble in Hello, Dolly!

After completing level 3 at the Washington Improv Theater, the WIT staff awarded her the diversity scholarship to complete levels 4 and 5. She performs with the indie team Cute and Snobby, where she expands her talents as an actress and comedienne. Videos of her performances can be found here.

Renee Namakau serves as the 2019 Modern American Miss. Renee Namakau earned third place in The National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc’s Local Competition in Washington, D.C. Washington Improv Theater awarded Renee Namakau with a scholarship to complete her education in Improv comedy theater. She performs improv with the indie team Cute and Snobby. Under the supervision of Kelvin Page, Renee Namakau soars as a vocalist and continues to fine tune her talents in classical voice. In her free time, she enjoys any murder mystery novel by Attica Locke or Stephen L. Carter, any book by Toni Morrison or Terry McMillan, playing the accompaniment part of her vocal music, and hanging out with her friends. She hopes to work in the next Emmy Award winning series or in any feature opposite Viola Davis.