About
Kevin Darnell Allen is a seasoned vocal professional known throughout Los Angeles and Chicago as an active session singer, vocal arranger, concert soloist, choral singer, and music educator. As a graduate of USC’s Thornton School of Music, Allen combines a classical music education with his contemporary inspirations.
With reliable bass-baritone vocals, he has contributed his voice to projects in the classical and contemporary worlds such as: Star Trek Starfleet Academy (Jeff Russo), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Ludwig Göransson), CREED III (Joseph Shirley), Elijah Rock (Stacey Gibbs), & more.
He has also sung backup for artists like Rihanna, Hozier, Jennifer Hudson, and Pentatonix. Recent engagements of Allen’s include the world premiere of operas “Mine” (O-Lan Jones) & “Time is the Enemy” (Samara Rice) with Overtone Industries in the roles of The Lover & Sphinx/Nurse respectively. Currently, Allen is prepping a United States premiere of opera “Kafka’s Letter to His Father” (Jiří Trtík) in the role of the Father.
As a composer and songwriter, Allen creates romantic soundscapes with therapeutic lyrics. These skills are showcased in his music under the artist name DARNELL with releases like “Letter From Your Future Self” and with his a cappella arrangements. He has also thrived in the classical realm both as a soloist and choral artist, having performed at Chicago Symphony, Disney Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and across Italy and Ireland.
In addition to performing, Allen is an experienced music director and teacher with almost a decade of giving instruction in voice, songwriting, ukulele, and choir throughout Los Angeles and Chicago. He has worked with Chicago A Cappella, HHW Vocal Arts Ensemble, and LA Opera Connects, focusing on empathy and equity in his approaches.
