Pretty Yende

Early life and education
Born in Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, Yende graduated cum laude from the South African College of Music – a part of the University of Cape Town. She also graduated from the Accademia Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy.

Career
Yende won first prize in operetta and opera at the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition 2009 in Vienna, and in 2010 the first prize at the Vincenzo Bellini International Competition. In 2011, she won first prize at Operalia, The World Opera Competition, held that year in Moscow.

In 2012, she sang the role of Musetta in Puccini's opera La bohème at La Scala in Milan. Yende made her Metropolitan Opera debut in New York City on 17 January 2013, in the role of Adèle in Rossini's opera Le comte Ory.

Yende is credited for her vocals in Andrea Bocelli's Concerto: One Night in Central Park (2011), and as a primary artist for the "Ode À L'Humanité" (Ode to Humanity, previously called Aria) track on the Yanni - Plácido Domingo collaboration Inspirato (2014).

Awards and honours
Yende was conferred the Silver Order of Ikhamanga on 27 April 2013. In a statement by the chairperson of the National Orders Advisory Council, Dr. Cassius Lubisi, Yende was conferred the honour "for her excellent achievement and international acclaim in the field of world opera and serving as a role model to aspiring young musicians."