There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

Kenesha Terrell is a Cleveland native and has shared in the many experiences it had to offer. Being brought up in the inner city and not having many great influences to cling to, she “learned” at an early age that life was not easy. Displaced at 16 years-old, and eventually pregnant at 18, Kenesha searched for the resources to aid her in the escape of the stereotypical path she found herself on. There was none that she knew of so she trudged on, and made it up as she went. Kenesha has been singing since 4 years old. As a young adult, music and performing became not only her outlet, but a source of income to support her and her baby.

Kenesha went to the performing arts high school, The Cleveland School of the Arts. In her Junior and Senior year, she was offered a scholarship to study Classical Voice under the direction of the late A. Grace Lee Mims at the world renown Music Settlement. After graduating high school, Kenesha accepted an Apprenticeship role in their Music Therapy program where she worked with children and young adults on the spectrum. Throughout her college career at Cuyahoga Community College, she studied jazz and sang alongside a number of world renown artists, and jazz groups. She is now back in school at Cleveland State University obtaining her BA in Music Therapy.

Before dedicating her life to teaching, Kenesha worked as a Qualified Mental Health Specialist in the city of Cleveland. Within the two organizations she worked alongside, she directly provided psychosocial rehabilitation to individuals with behavioral and mental disabilities.  She worked with clients’ therapists and medical teams to implement and restore daily routines that are critical to remaining functional and successful in life. Kenesha also doubled as a Community Specialist, working in different spaces to make sure families had - not only these special services - but food, shelter, and any other immediate needs met.

Terrell has shared her gift of music in weddings, bar-mitzvahs, galas, graduations, and any other occasion you can name! She’s been in annual local festivals and showcases such as the Buckeye and Glenville festivals, competitions like the Kids Apollo (where she made it to the Top 2), musicals & plays at the Karamu House and Playhouse Square, and performed at places such as the House of Blues, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and NASA!

The first time I stepped into a legitimate leadership role as an instructor was as a Choir Director and Praise Team Leader in church in 2014. At the time, the position felt intimidating  because outside of school and the impromptu talent shows I would host as a child with my little sisters & cousins as my “students", I had never managed that many voices at once. Nevertheless, I accepted the challenge, and have been helping people grow both individually and collectively through music and life since then. 

Even though people had been asking me for private voice lessons for years, I always declined. Ironically, what many people didn’t know, was that behind the scenes, I was struggling with my own voice. After years of over-singing and mismanaging my gift - especially from performing without properly exercising vocal health - I experienced vocal damage that forced me into a difficult decision: either continue damaging my instrument to the point of potentially needing surgery, or fundamentally REtrain my voice & approach to singing….. 

I chose to rebuild.

That season changed my life completely. It forced me to study my voice on a deeper level, understand the physiology and mechanics behind singing, and develop a healthier, more sustainable relationship with my artistry. In the very TUMULTUOUS and heart wrenching process, I discovered purpose. It was no longer just about singing well. It became about healing, awareness, confidence, discipline, expression, emotional connection, and helping other people avoid the same vocal, artistic, and mental burnout I once experienced myself.

In 2020, I finally decided to pursue vocal coaching professionally, and what started as private lessons has now evolved into Cultural Collective Arts - a full artistic & professional development organization centered around growth, holistic development, and finding your authentic voice both artistically, professionally, & personally.

Today, as a Private Voice Coach, Music Educator, and Artistic Development Mentor, I work with students all over the world, of all ages and experience levels. Nothing brings me more fulfillment than watching artists grow in confidence, skill, self-awareness, discipline, creativity, and overall health. My mission has never simply been to create “good singers.” It is what you read above, and to teach my students to fully embrace and responsibly use the voice they’ve been given.