Kenan Oktay is an emerging classical crossover singer. He graduated from Tufts University in May 2025 with a major in International Relations, and a minor in French. 

Kenan began his singing journey in 2022 when he joined the Tufts Amalgamates a cappella group. He began studying voice as a novice with Bülent Güneralp in 2023. He joined the Tufts Opera Ensemble in the fall, and sang in the scenes program as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte by Mozart, Donkey in Shrek the Musical by Jeanine Tesori, Alidoro in La Cenerentola by Rossini, and in the ensemble of Sunday in the Park with George by Sondheim. He also sang as the title character in a Tufts Wind Ensemble concert of Candide by Bernstein. During his studies abroad, Kenan sang in Paris at Sorbonne Nouvelle University’s cabaret show, Sorbouche Nouvelle. He also auditioned for, and was invited to the 2024 Lanzarote Opera Festival and Academy. At the festival he sang opera, oratorio, art song and musical theater repertoire by Handel, Mozart, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Fauré and Bernstein.

After returning to the US, upon the encouragement of Bülent Güneralp, he began developing his own voice studio. In the fall of 2024 he sang in the Tufts Opera Ensemble scenes program as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti, and as Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola. He also sang in the ensembles of Die Zauberflöte, and Little Shop of Horrors by Menken. In his last semester at Tufts, he sang as the tenor choral scholar and section leader in the Tufts University Chaplaincy Choir. He enacted the triple roles of King of the East, Moon, and Chorus 5 in the Opera Ensemble’s production of The Enchanted Pig by Jonathan Dove. Most recently, he gave his graduation recital with Thomas Stumpf at the piano. Kenan's amazing vocal journey has just been spotlighted on KLCC, NPR's member station in Oregon.

Kenan recently auditioned for, and enrolled in Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is looking forward to studying in the Graduate Performance Diploma in Voice program this fall.