Born in Piet Retief, South Africa, she studied at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town and the Academy of La Scala, Milan. She won First Prize in Operalia (2011). Recent appearances include Lucia di Lammermoor (Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin), Countess Adele in Le Comte Ory (La Scala, Milan), Adina in L’elisir d’amore (Metropolitan Opera, Staatsoper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper), Teresa in Benvenuto Cellini (Paris Opera), Norina in Don Pasquale (Liceu, Barcelona), Amira in Ciro in Babilonia (Rossini Opera Festival, Pesaro), Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Paris Opera, Oslo, Metropolitan Opera), Elvira in I puritani (Zurich Opera), Marie in La Fille du régiment (Seville), Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro (Los Angeles Opera) and Countess Adele, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette (Metropolitan Opera). She has recorded the solo albums A Journey (2016) and Dreams (2017) for Sony Classical. Her roles for The Royal Opera include Adina, Violetta in La traviata and the title role in Semele. 

Read Pretty Yende's interview on that British Airways advert, singing for the Coronation of King Charles III and preparing to sing the role of Handel's Semele.