Noteworthy

Broadway and concert-stage powerhouse Capathia Jenkins brings a voice of extraordinary force and emotional honesty to every performance. Whether starring in Newsies, creating roles in The Civil War and Caroline, or Change, or appearing with major orchestras across North America and beyond, she is an artist who moves fluidly between worlds—always anchored by intention and joy. This season, she returns to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, bringing both her unmistakable sound and a deeply personal philosophy about music and human connection.

Between performances, she reflects on consistency, healing, and choosing joy.

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I approach life and my music with intentionality. My practice and rehearsal goals are set so that I know exactly what I am trying to accomplish, and, when I’m done, I have inevitably moved closer to what I want to achieve. Being consistent is my superpower.

During COVID-19, there was a five-month period when I did not sing. I was broken. One day, I decided to warm up. I was rusty, and it was hard at first, but after about ten days of warming up and singing, I started to feel like me again. I was slowly putting the broken pieces back together. I will never not sing for that long ever again. I was changed forever.

Every day I meditate and spend time with myself, and I often say, “My default is joy.” This is my practice. When I’m on stage, I am in pure joy, and in order to be present in that joy, I live it all day, every day. That’s not to say that I don’t experience sadness, anger, grief—all of the emotions, for sure—but I will always choose joy in spite of it all. “Joyful” is the one word I would use to describe my music, too.

I remember early in my career, when I was just beginning to gain notoriety and people were saying things like, “Her voice is beautiful, crystal-clear tone,” and so on, I noticed that I was starting to internalize all of this. Every time I opened my mouth to sing, it had to be perfect, which is not sustainable. Then one night on Broadway, during one of my songs, my mouth went dry and I had no spin. I panicked and pretty much talk-sang my way through it. The audience applauded. The show went on. Nobody died. From that day on, I embarked on the journey away from perfection and always toward excellence.

I am a Black woman moving through mostly white spaces, and, in today’s society, just the very sight of me sparks thought or wonder. My work is not just on stage, but off stage as well, in my interactions with so many people from different walks of life. I show up as my authentic self in every room I enter, and hopefully when you walk away from an encounter with me, you feel better about yourself. I am curious and kind and a great listener. Positive one-on-one interactions can change the world.

There is still so much I want to explore. I wish I could play the piano. I’m still growing and evolving, learning new things all the time—that’s one of the things I love most about this craft. There are songs I’ve never performed that I’d happily dive into, too. Honestly, any song by Bruno Mars.

After a performance, the first thing I do is say, “Thank God.” When I travel or drive, I listen to a little bit of everything: ’70s soul and R&B, the Great American Songbook, today’s pop and R&B, gospel, jazz—it all feeds me in different ways. The same goes for books. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins really changed my life.

My personal mantra is simple: how you do anything is how you do everything. I come back to that again and again. It reminds me to stay intentional, to stay open, and to keep showing up fully. That is the work. That is the joy.

See Capathia Jenkins with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra:

She’s Got Soul
Wed, May 6 & Thu, May 7, 2026
Roy Thomson Hall

Discover where music and life intersect in Intermezzo as we bring you closer to the artists who shape the TSO experience. Keep an eye out for more of these insightful conversations.