A native of Temple Hills, Maryland, Bass-Baritone, LaRob K. Payton developed a love for singing at an early age. He found a spirit in the Gospel songs he sang, passion in the R&B he heard, and nuance in the Classical music he studied.

A graduate of DePaul University where he received a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, LaRob has studied with world-renowned teachers, directors, and coaches and has had musical opportunities that include traveling internationally to study language, culture, and music in Urbania, Italy (Musica Nelle Marche) and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Istituto de Bel Canto). He has performed leading operatic roles such as Pistola (Falstaff), Superintendent Budd (Albert Herring), Colline (La Boheme), Giove (La Calisto), Thoas (Iphigenie en Tauride), Father/Vater (Hansel und Gretel) and been a soloist in orchestral chamber works (Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Mahler), (Soundscapes of Color, Dzitko).

As an Arts Administrator, he has worked with Lyric Opera of Chicago in the Learning and Creative Engagement Department, sits on the Board of La Caccina, an all-women’s profession choral ensemble, as Diversity and Community Engagement Advisor, been the Director of Community Engagement with Chicago’s Ear Taxi Festival (2021), and is an active consultant with the recently formed Black Opera Alliance and Black Administrators of Opera groups. LaRob was recently selected as one of 11 arts administrators nationwide to join the 4th Cohort of Sphinx LEAD, a 2-year program designed to evolve the industry landscape by empowering the next generation of executive leaders.

LaRob continues to sing around the Chicago area (William Ferris Chorale) and is the Founder and Artistic Director of Hearing in Color, an organization dedicated to supporting those whose contributions and stories have been historically excluded from classical spaces.

LaRob also uses his voice to connect people from different communities as a newly appointed weekend morning host of Chicago's Classical music station, WFMT (98.7 FM) to continue decentralizing the predominantly white, European, male-centered classical consciousness.