‘When I make a sale, I’ll sing a high note’: a day in the life of an opera singing car salesman

Andrew Hiers, 38, is an opera singer – a bass-baritone – and a car salesman in Cocoa, Florida. You might think these professions have nothing to do with each other, but his librettos about cars or to customers have gone viral – all part of a larger plan to bring opera to the local community.

What time did you wake up?

Today, I woke up a little bit earlier than usual, about 6.30. We have an old man cat; he’s 18 years old, and lately he forgets when feeding time is. At about 4.30, he’ll start yelling.

I also returned an email to a young man finishing up his conducting degree. We’re trying to start our own opera company – I want something that’s going to be self-sustaining and generate revenue, whereas a lot of opera companies are based on donations and grants.

What are your lunch plans?

Because it’s a long day, I did bring some frozen stuff I can heat up. The other day, a customer I was taking on a test drive said, “Oh, I’m taking you to lunch with some friends,” which is not typical. One of them had seen my story, and he wanted to take my picture.

When do you find time to make your videos?

When the service people go home, that’s when a lot of my big videos have been shot in the store – I’ll bust out a few high notes. Or when I make a sale, I’ll sing a high note; those [videos] really have been doing well.

What time do you normally go to sleep? Do you have any particular sleep routine?

I’m a midnight, 1 o’clock person. I need to be better about it. They always say you should take 20 minutes before sleep to detox, but I want to maximize my me time. When my partner’s in town – she’s also an opera singer, actually a pretty famous opera singer [Chelsea Lehnea] – she tries to get me in bed closer to 11pm.

My living situation is a bit unique. I live in an RV. When my partner and I met, it was right before the pandemic, and we quarantined together. After living with my parents for six months in West Palm Beach, she said: “I’m getting an RV. I’m going to renovate it. You can come with me or not.”

I live in my college roommate’s front yard. She has a wonderful tub. Many nights, I’ll go over there and take a bath with Epsom salts, because my aching joints need it. I messed up my knee years ago – the day before my first opera, actually – I tore my ACL, so I’ve never done an opera on two good knees.