KC Q&A: Talya Groves, singer, dancer, Broadway performer finds old fans back home
As Talya Groves walked into The Phoenix nightclub in downtown Kansas City, she was greeted by staff and patrons with handshakes, hugs and constant questions about when she will return to the stage. Groves, 31, has been singing and dancing her whole life.
After years of working in New York on Broadway, during the pandemic she came back home to build a career here. The bandleader for her group Talya and her Boyfriends, she recently embarked on a five month tour on a cruise ship and then returned to Kansas City where regulars at her usual performance spots have been patiently awaiting her return.
Groves sat down with The Star’s culture and identity reporter J.M. Banks to talk about her life on the stage and the inspiration behind her passion for song and dance.
Banks: When did your journey as a performer begin?
Groves: I started when I was 3 years old. I think that’s more of like a Midwest thing and a Southern thing. I think definitely in the ‘90s when I was a kid, the thing to do with your daughter was to stick her in dance, gymnastics or pageants. I don’t think everyone carries through with that. But one thing I have always respected and appreciated about my mom is if I woke up one day and said I don’t like this and don’t want to do this it would have been the end of it. I was never pushed into it.
What inspired you to make the stage your full-time profession?
There came a time with my competitive dance career when I was 8 or 9 and was starting to win a lot of awards based on my solos. Whatever piece of me was shy or nervous for any reason, that piece of me went away when there’s music involved, whether it’s song or it’s dance. It started to come very naturally and I loved it and where I feel most present. I am the least in my head when I am singing a son. That is why I love to do this, because my most human and present moments make people happy.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
I really love Tina Turner, her grit and she didn’t listen to anybody who tried to put her in a box, whether it was with genre or with her race. Of course, now, there’s nobody more inspiring than Beyoncé, because she is just at another level when it comes to innovation.
What is the music landscape in Kansas City like for singers looking to book constant work?
It’s interesting, it’s a hustle for sure in a lot of ways. A hustle to stay booked, a hustle to sustain the quality of life I want to have from a financial standpoint. I was just gone for five months doing a cruise ship contract where I was. It was an amazing time and I loved that life and I think it’s something I’ll do again. I definitely missed the Kansas City audiences in the sense that you can build a following which I appreciate and amazing variety that we have here.
What is the community of musicians like here in KC?
It’s competitive, which is interesting because I think everybody’s so different. So I often think it’s a little silly that there’s any competitive nature to it. But the reason it’s competitive is because we are over saturated. There are so many talented people here. All of us just want to do what we love and make ends meet, doing what we love.
Can you tell me about your time performing on Broadway in New York?
I went to New York for college in 2011 and got my bachelor’s in fine arts and musical theater in 2015. Five days after my graduation I joined the first national tour of Motown the Musical and that was in line with the trajectory that I made for myself. The reason I went to college in New York is because I wanted to make it into the Broadway community, which at the time I thought was the only way to sustain a living being a performer.
What are some of the key milestones in your career or personal journey?
My Broadway debut was a big one. The first show that I was with, as part of the first original Broadway cast, was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Definitely creating enough of a presence for myself in Kansas City to be voted best vocalist by The Pitch readers was a big deal for me and a goal in 2022 and 2023. Me going to do this cruise is going to be a milestone. I did it to just get away from the hustle but I ended up getting more out of it personally than professionally.
How do you think your work as a performer impacts the community?
I think I provide a lot of joy. I just see it on people’s faces.
Are you involved in any community activities or initiatives?
Yes, AIDS Walk KC has been part of my place in the community here for a while. I was co-chair in 2022. I am interested in getting more involved politically on a local level because of Kamala (Harris). She represents so much hope and something in me instantly changed. Politically I have been in a rut feeling like there was nothing to believe in and she made me feel maybe things will be OK.
Do you have a personal motto or philosophy that guides you?
I know it is cliché, but mine is; that everything happens for a reason. That is my true belief as a general belief system about karma.
What drives you to continue your work/passion?
Knowing we all have a deep sense of longing for connection and I have a gift that allows people to come together and feel safe to experience that.
What are your goals for the future, professionally or personally?
I want to make original music. You are the first person I am saying that to officially so that is a little bit vulnerable. I don’t know what that looks like. It scares me a lot because to be such an entertainer I am pretty type A personality but creation comes secondary to me. It is why I thrived on Broadway; it is task execution, here is the material, show up to the audition and get the job then do the job. Creativity comes with doing it. But writing and doing your own music is something different, and I am totally inspired by people who do that.
What advice would you give to someone aspiring to follow a similar path?
No plan B. There are so many people who are talented, but not everyone who is talented gets to do this for a living. There can’t be anything back here to consider resting on. Don’t be afraid to put all your eggs in one basket.
This story was originally published July 31, 2024 at 9:42 AM.
