Payton McKinnis is an operatic soprano based out of Miami, FL and Las Vegas, NV. She is currently pursuing her Master of Music at the Frost School of Music, studying with Robynne Redmon. In the Spring of 2025, Ms. McKinnis performed in Florida Grand Opera's outreach program, portraying the roles of Adele and The Spirit of the Rose in Beauty and the Beast (Gretry/Borths) for Miami-Dade students ranging from Elementary to High School. At the University of Miami, Ms. McKinnis has performed in Frost Opera Theater's "Eye on American Opera" and "Wall-to-Wall Opera for All" scenes programs, singing as Amy from Mark Adamo's Little Women, Sophie from Strauss' Die Rosenkavalier, and Ännchen from von Weber's Der Freischütz.

Highlights from Ms. McKinnis' time at Chapman University's College of Performing Arts include placing as Runner-Up in Chapman's 2023 Concerto and Aria competition, performing the role of Emperor's Mother in Robert Moran's From the Towers of the Moon with movement inspired by traditional Noh theater, covering the role of Madame Haltiere in Massenet's Cendrillon, and singing under the tutelage of Patricia Gee.

In the Summer of 2023, Ms. McKinnis spent a transformative five weeks at Frost School of Music's Salzburg program studying German, performing in opera scenes, participating in master classes, attending performances at the Salzburger Festspiel.  

Ms. McKinnis' love of opera stems from her origins in musical theater, especially in her 2020 performance as the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods. In the same year, she also participated in Vegas City Opera's Music and Theater Academy, singing Lapak's aria from The Cunning Little Vixen.