Lea Shaw is an award-winning Black/BIPOC Mezzo-soprano from Colorado, USA. She now lives and works in Scotland.

Lea is a keen contemporary musician, collaborative artist, improviser and educator, and works regularly with living composers and artists to create new works.

She has performed diverse repertoire throughout the UK and Europe with conductors such as Marin Alsop, Martyn Brabbins, John Butt, and the late Sir Andrew Davies, and created works with Stuart Macrae, Rylan Gleave, and James Macmillan.

Lea was an Emerging Artist, then subsequently an Associate Artist, with Scottish Opera 2021-24, where her roles included Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Paquette (Candide), Nina (Ainadamar), Suor Zelatrice (Suor Angelica) La Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi Access), Mercedes (Carmen), Rosina (Il Barbiere Di Siviglia Access), Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), and Flora (La Traviata).

Lea is the creator of The Small Magician, an accessible, inclusive, trauma-aware vocal education resource.