We had the good fortune of connecting with Tatiana Kallmann and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tatiana, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
With a vivacious and undeniable interest in Operatic Vocal Performance and the Historical European Culture, after concluding my undergraduate studies in the School of Music at the Florida State University in the year of 2009, I set off to embark on the life-changing odyssey of pursuing my dreams as a Lyric Soprano in Europe. I packed up all my bags, said goodbye to everything and everyone I loved dearly, and migrated to the continent of Classical Music, the birthland of my German Grandfather, Fritz Kallmann.

As a young international student and aspiring Colombian-American Opera Singer, it was imperative for me to learn to speak fluent German so that I could audition to be accepted into a conservatory where I could further my studies in Opera Vocal Performance. It is in Bonn, the city of the legendary composer Ludwig van Beethoven where I enrolled to attend a Language School. Within half of a year of daily classes and a cultural dive into the German culture, I began to fluently speak German in less than a year.

In the Fall of 2010 I began my auditions as a young Soprano and was selected among hundreds of applicants to become a part of the Opernschule, an Opera Conservatory School in the prestigious University of the Performing Arts at the UNESCO World Heritage “Unesco City of Music” Mannheim, Germany. During the course of my international Graduate Studies, I received BelCanto Operatic Vocal Training from renowned professors throughout Europe; primarily in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany.

Upon successfully completing my International Master’s Degree in Operatic Vocal Performance in Germany, a world of opportunities was in front of me. I could either stay in Europe and pursue my career abroad or return to my family in the United States. I decided to stay in Germany where I lived and worked as a Classical Crossover Opera Singer for more than 11 years.

It was shortly after the completion of my Master’s Degree that I launched my entrepreneurial dream starting up my very own Small Business Crossover Soprano International a boutique Music Entertainment company. It was at this time that I decided to walk the road less traveled, stepping away from convention and what was expected of the career of an Opera Singer and in turn paved a path of my own.

The thought process that I had at this time was that I wanted to create something fresh, something new, something that would honor my rigorous classical music training but at the same time would allow me to stretch the boxes of convention and break free into a new form of art and expression.

The biggest question that I asked myself was “How can a trained Opera Singer crossover into a variety of musical styles of music in a way that has not been done before all while staying true to her Classical Vocal Training”?
The challenge was titanic but I have known since I was a child that the Vocal Arts were my ultimate calling and so for the next 8 years after my Master’s Degree Graduation, I along with my mentor and Juilliard-trained Voice Teacher began to experiment with my voice using Operatic Singing as the backbone of my artistic singing style. After trillions of hours of trial and error, I finally reached a pinnacle in my vocal career, developing my own unique style of singing within the Classical Crossover Music Genre. A style of singing that can be sung with the same passion as Opera but with finely detailed nuisances that showcase my love for Pop, Latin, and Jazz Vocal Arts.

During the launch of my small Latina Owned Business Crossover Soprano International, the city that welcomed and celebrated my Classical Crossover vision the most was in the heart of Germany, the Historical City of Heidelberg.
With the premiere of my first Classical Crossover Single “Bésame Mucho” by the Mexican Female Composer  Consuelo Velasquez, I began to receive invitations to premiere as a Guest Star performing my Classical Crossover LIVE performance Act throughout the Historical City of Heidelberg, Germany including the Renaissance Heidelberg Castle, the 2,5000 Spectator Congress Hall, the City Hall, and as the Star Guest at the 11th Annual AIDS Gala in the Heidelberg Opera House.
In the summer of 2012, my brand Crossover Soprano International was chosen to be featured by the City of Heidelberg in the Heidelberg Image Film producing, performing, and presenting my innovative vocal arrangement to the globally acclaimed song “I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg”.

As an Entrepreneurial Latinx Business Owner, I have been honored to perform as a Main Stage Headlining Guest Soloist presenting my artistic work at the Heidelberg Theatre and Orchestra, the Richard Wagner Association in cooperation with the National Theatre of Mannheim, UNICEF, REWE, Porsche, WELLA Canada, Perkeo-Gesellchaft Heidelberg 1907, the St.Petersburg International Folk Fair Society, the Rotary Club of Ybor City and in the 3,000 spectators public open-air performance at the annual Festa Italiana of Ybor City in Tampa, Florida. When I launched my business Crossover Soprano International, I took a huge risk in my career. Opera Singers are not trained to step outside the lines of artistic conventions, on the contrary, it is one of the most rigorous and detailed orientated art forms in History, therefore, taking artistic leaps of change is most often not welcomed. With that in mind, I look back today as I write this questionnaire and feel a huge sense of honor and profound gratitude to those that believed in my vision, especially the City of Heidelberg, Germany for welcoming my artistic dream, my voice, and Latinx Small Business into the German Culture thus pioneering the evolution of Opera into the Modern Times.

In conclusion, I would like to share with you all the core foundation of my pursuit. The Mission of Crossover Soprano International is to make the Ancient Art form of Opera and its evolution into modern times accessible to all people. My dream is to create a space in time where the power of music and the human voice stand in the forefront, vanishing all culturally dividing barriers and in turn bringing people together through their joined reverence for the arts. I strongly believe that it is in the moments where society-imposed stereotypes, especially those created by social-economic elitism, gender, race, age, and any form of discrimination cease to exist, that music may serve its higher purpose for humanity.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In the Fall of 2010, I began my auditions as a young Soprano and was selected among hundreds of applicants to become a part of the Opernschule, an Opera Conservatory School in the prestigious University of the Performing Arts at the UNESCO World Heritage “The Unesco City of Music” Mannheim, Germany. During the course of my international Graduate Studies, I received Bel Canto Operatic Vocal Training from renowned professors throughout Europe; primarily in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany.

Upon successfully completing my International Master’s Degree in Operatic Vocal Performance in Germany, a world of opportunities was in front of me. I could either stay in Europe and pursue my career abroad or return to my family in the United States. I decided to stay in Germany where I lived and worked as a Classical Crossover Opera Singer for more than 11 years.

It was shortly after the completion of my Master’s Degree that I launched my entrepreneurial dream starting up my very own Small Business Crossover Soprano International a boutique Music Entertainment company.

It was at this time that I decided to walk the road less traveled, stepping away from convention and what was expected of the career of an Opera Singer and in turn paving a path of my own.

To have taken this bold choice of action was very challenging and painful for I faced a lot of rejection, especially from conservative groups of people who did not accept me as an immigrant woman and also those who were against my drive to be innovative in my creations. To have fought for my dream in a foreign country and language was extremely difficult for although I speak, read, and write in German, I always sounded like an immigrant and was often discriminated especially during my Master’s Degree studies where I was bullied, mobbed and even threatened by some of my peers.

What was my saving grace? My spiritual connection to the Universe and my resilient drive to push forward my vision and dream no matter how eccentric and different my ideas were or how rejected and underrepresented I felt.

I have always strived to stay very close to the reasoning behind my mission.
“THE WHY?” I was pursuing my dream.

This mindset led me to follow my dream from a very different standpoint than that of the pursuit of instant fame, recognition, or trophies but instead, a vocation that is led by a humanitarian mission and a musical vocation.

When I started my own brand and business, the thought process that I had at this time was that I wanted to create something fresh, NEW, something that would honor my rigorous classical music training but at the same time would allow me to stretch the boxes of convention and break free into a completely new form of art and expression.

The biggest question that I asked myself was “How can a trained Opera Singer crossover into a variety of musical styles of music in a way that has not been done before all while staying true to her Classical Vocal Training”?

The challenge felt like climbing Mount Everest but I have known since I was a child that this was my ultimate calling and so for the next 8 years after my Master’s Degree Graduation, I along with my mentor and Juilliard-trained Voice Teacher Chinese, Mezzo-Soprano Mrs. Yanyu Guo began to experiment with my voice using Operatic Singing as the backbone of my artistic singing style all while crossing over into modern styles of music. After trillions of hours of trial and error, perseverance, and a fierce conviction in my pursuit I finally reached a pinnacle in my vocal career, developing my own unique style of singing within the Classical Crossover Music Genre. A style of singing that can be sung with the same passion as Opera but with finely detailed nuisances that showcase my love for Pop, Latin, and Jazz Vocal Arts.

During the launch of my small Latina Owned Business Crossover Soprano International, the city that welcomed and celebrated my Classical Crossover vision the most was in the heart of Germany, the Historical City of Heidelberg.

With the premiere of my first Classical Crossover Single “Bésame Mucho” by the Mexican Female Composer Consuelo Velasquez, I began to receive invitations to premiere as a Guest Star performing my Classical Crossover LIVE Performance Act throughout the Historical City of Heidelberg, Germany including the Renaissance Heidelberg Castle, the 2,5000 Spectator Congress Hall, the City Hall, and as the Star Guest at the 11th Annual AIDS Gala in the Heidelberg Opera House.

In the summer of 2012, my brand Crossover Soprano International was chosen to be featured by the City of Heidelberg in the Heidelberg Image Film co-producing, performing, and presenting my innovative vocal arrangement to the globally acclaimed song “I Lost My Heart in Heidelberg”.

To have achieved all of this as an immigrant Colombian- American Crossover Opera Singer and as a Female Small Business owner in a foreign country is one of my greatest lifetime achievements. One which I hold very close to my heart. To have achieved this vocal mastery is not only my dream becoming a reality but it is my mission in action, for I now get to share my years of experience with my community as a Performer, Recording Artist, Teacher, Mentor, and Coach.

If there is something I would like to share with the world regarding my voice, brand, and business is to never give up on your dreams and to always pursue that which brings you the most passion in life. No matter how long it takes your dreams to become a reality, never ever stop believing in their beauty for they are the connecting dots to your destiny.

To me, one of the keys to creativity is to always stay true to yourself and never allow others to tell you how to shine your light. To be authentically YOU for that is where the true beauty lies, in your unique soul and that which sparks you into LIFE!

We all know that the best recipes are homemade and after a lifetime of hours in the practice room exploring, experimenting, and practicing, I have finally come up with a recipe that has given me the wings to express my colorful musical soul in a fresh and new style of my own.

Do note that my accomplishments did not come overnight rather it took a lifetime to be sharing my story with you all.

I use the Hashtag #17+YearsInTheVocalMaking for that is the number of years that I have been pursuing my dreams and aspirations.

A great lesson I have learned throughout my life is that when you want to create change in the world or create something new, you have to be the one that makes the step toward that change. Don’t simply follow trends, and hypes and believe that you have to be like everyone else, or become like someone else to achieve great things in life.

Make the leap. Again, and again, and again. Never stop pursuing. Never stop pushing forward. Never ever give up.

Lead with Love and the rest will follow.

Be your True, Authentic, Kind, Compassionate, Hard Working, Patient, Loving, Forgiving, Joyous, Grateful, and Absolutely Unique Creative Self.

And always remember that it is always YOU VS. YOU

There is no greater feeling to express yourself freely and to have full control of your creativity, artistry, and your personal brand. I thrive in my passion for detail therefore behind every Vocal Recording, Image, Video, and any type of media that I release there is a Boss Babe CEO who directs, produces, and orchestrates her own Record Label and Latinx Small Business Crossover Soprano International.

If my pursuit has brought you inspiration, I hope that it simply reminds you that your voice matters, your innovative ideas are meant to be shared, your story is yours to tell, and that there is absolutely no one like you in the whole wide world. As I like to say – We are all galaxies.

Welcome to mine. =)


The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

To be able to pursue one’s artistic vision in life is truly one of the greatest gifts a human can receive. I was blessed from a very young age to be granted the opportunity to follow and pursue my dreams as a young Soprano all thanks to the support, encouragement, and unconditional love of my parents, mentors, and teachers.

To decide on a vocational career path in the Performing Arts is to embark on a path that is not paved for the faint of heart. It is a path, that requires such a deep belief in one’s dreams and aspirations that it is almost imperative to have mentors, role models, teachers, and a loving support system that helps create an encouraging environment where dreams can grow and become reality.

A career path in the Performing Arts is one that is most certainly going to unfold a plethora of life challenges, trials and tribulations, victories, and failures that pull at your heartstrings and challenge your conviction and belief in your vision. It is for this reason that having such influential people in one’s life is so important and almost at the core of one’s success, for they are the ones that stand behind you even when life takes turns we were not expecting or when the road gets dark and scary. Success is not just one flashing moment of victory but instead a culmination of a lifetime of dedication, work, perseverance, and resilient love for one’s dreams and aspirations. It is wrapped around with the grace of all our ancestors, those that came before us, who fought for our freedom and future. To be given the gift to pursue our heart’s calling, dreams, and aspirations in this lifetime is in my opinion one of the foundational definitions of success.

Arriving To America: The Story of Colombian Immigrants

I was born to young parents that fiercely fought to survive and become accomplished professionals. My Father, an Internal Medicine Doctor, and my Mother, a Biologist, were both facing trying times in the vibrantly cosmopolitan yet sadly war-stricken country that I call my motherland, Colombia. The trying times that my parents were facing propelled them to make the most important decision of their lives. A decision that would forever change the course of our family lives for generations to come. This decision was to migrate. To migrate to a land where they could build a new life and offer their two children a brighter future. In 1992, my Mother received her first invitation to work as a Biologist in the United States of America. This golden ticket to the land of opportunity drove my Mother to travel to Miami, Florida, where she accepted the job offer in person. Upon the acceptance of her new position, she received a working visa that allowed her to bring her husband and two children.

I was just five years old when my family immigrated to the United States. It had only been five years that I had been walking and exploring this planet when my tiny little feet and hands holding a bucket full of Legos walked on an airplane and landed in a brand-new world of discovery, the land of opportunity and home of the free:
The United States of America

Our early beginnings as Colombian immigrants were challenging, to say the least. My parents had little money and both spoke very basic English. The hardships they had to endure were heroic. Despite the emotional toll it took on their well-being, they both pushed forward, for they were both determined to offer their children a future that was spared of the hardships that they had to endure in life. Both of my parents were very disciplined and determined to build a future for their family, no matter what level of strife they had to endure. Like many other immigrant families, in the pursuit of work opportunities, my parents had to relocate with their two girls (my sister and I) to many cities throughout our life. At times, I call our story a journey, but it has been, in reality, a real-life odyssey. Our odyssey began in my birth city, Bogotá, Colombia, and continued as we migrated to the United States of America, where we resided in several cities in the sunny state of Florida including Miami, Clearwater, and our home city Tampa.

When I look back at my family history story, I know that I am where I am because of my parents and their determination to create a brighter future for their family.

It was at the young age of 6 years old that my parents began to discover that I had a great passion and ability for singing. I was said to have been a very happy child, always dancing, singing, and performing in front of the family. My Father described me as “Una Cajita de Música,” which translates to a “little musical jukebox.”

I spent hours and hours in my room singing and dreaming of my future. Given any opportunity at elementary school, I was always ready to get on stage and sing. I was not a shy child. Even if I was mute at that time of my life, I did not yet know how to write, read, or speak in English.

Through the immense love, support, and encouragement from my family, mentors, and teachers, I began to pursue my dreams and vocation for Vocal Music in the Performing Arts at the age of 13 when my parents worked hard so that I could begin to take private voice classes. My extracurricular classes prepared me for the entrance audition to Howard W. Blake High School of the Performing Arts Magnet School in my hometown city, Tampa, Florida. With a peaked interest in Classical Vocal Music, Musical Theatre, and Pop Music, I began to take voice classes learning Classical and Musical Theatre Vocal pieces including “Ave Maria” by Franz Schubert and “ I Feel Pretty” from West Side Story.

My life changed forever the moment I stepped foot at the Howard W. Blake Performing Arts High School, an integration Magnet School that accepted me into the Vocal Arts and Musical Theatre department. I participated in many life-changing concerts and stage performances spanning from Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, and George Frideric Handel’s “The Messiah HWV 56” to a variety of Musical Theatre productions such as “Bat Boy”, “The Wiz” and “The Mikado”. Furthermore, I participated as a soloist at the All-State competitions, being awarded Superior Ratings in both the Classical Solo and Musical Theatre departments. In 2005, I was awarded the Ruth Eckerd Hall Youth Scholarship in Classical Solo Voice performing live at the finals which were held at the Vinoy Renaissance Hall in St. Petersburg, Florida.

To have received this profound and in-depth immersive experience in the world of the Performing Arts at such a young age and with such a loving support system was undoubtedly one the most life-changing and influential experiences of my life. It prepared me for a lifetime in the Performing Arts.

At just the age of 15 years old, I graduated early from Blake High School of the Performing Arts and courageously set off to pursue my lifelong dream as Singer-Songwriter & Recording Artist. It was at this moment of my life that I took the biggest leap of faith for my career, moving back to my birth city in Bogotá, Colombia, where I signed my first Record Deal. In the course of a year, I began my work as a melodist, lyricist, and vocalist with virtuoso guitarist & producer Andres Osorio Toledo producing their Crossover Pop Rock Project “Unclassified” composing my first original songs.


Website: https://www.tatianakallmann.com/full-biography

Instagram: @TatianaKallmann https://instagram.com/tatianakallmann?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== @Miss.Tati.love https://instagram.com/miss.tati.love?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatiana-kallmann-ab6a48102/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkallmann?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClbR7E9xEaJxN9Zfe9XRogg

Other: Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/@misstatilove

Image Credits
Crown Cover Picture plus Picture #1 & #10 Photographer Aramis Booker Artistic Direction by Tatiana Kallmann Picture #3,4, 5 & 8 Photographer Uli Hillenbrand Picture #6 Photographers AJ Carroll & Alex Coss Picture #9 Photographer Denise Gahn

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