Berklee Artists to Perform at Major Summer Music Festivals

Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) is sending six up-and-coming artists from the college to perform at popular music festivals in the U.S. and Canada this summer. The program takes students from the classroom to the stage, providing an immersive experience in every aspect of artist development and touring – important preparation for a career in performance and in the music industry.

This year’s BPMI artists – students and alumni MKULTRA, Jobi Riccio, ALX, Jackie Foster, Roy Juno, and GOLDSPACE + Good Company – will have the opportunity to perform on the main stages at The Governors Ball in New York, May 31–June 2; Country LakeShake in Chicago, June 21-23; Essence Festival in New Orleans, July 5–7; Lollapalooza in Chicago, August 1–4; Osheaga in Montreal, August 2–4; and Music Midtown in Atlanta, September 14-15.

Under the guidance of Jeff Dorenfeld, founding managing director of BPMI, students in the three-semester class reviewed more than 250 submissions in the fall and selected the final artists based on recordings, videos, and live showcases. Each artist is paired with a group of three BPMI students who serve as their management team. Throughout the spring semester, the teams work with the artists on development, marketing, promotion, digital presence, merchandise, sponsorships, and tour budgets. In the final semester, the artists rehearse extensively and hit the road to their summer festivals, accompanied by their teams, who handle on-site promotion, production and tour management.

“Seeing BPMI students working at the premier festivals in the country is the most rewarding experience I’ve had in my 20-plus years at Berklee,” said BPMI founding managing director Jeff Dorenfeld. “Students working through the A&R process, advancing show demands, and preparing BPMI artists for the festival stage is an experiential education that sets Berklee apart from other colleges.”

“The fact that BPMI has my back makes me feel like I'm not alone up on that stage,” said BPMI artist Jackie Foster. “In 2014, when I received the Lollapalooza scholarship, I got to attend the festival that year. I remember watching the Berklee performer and seeing her sense of ease and unapologetic confidence on that stage. I knew my sights were set, that one day I'd be on the same stage. Five years later, here I am gearing up for one of the biggest stages and it's all thanks to BPMI."

“We had a lot of great talent this year, but we wanted the music we brought to the festivals to reflect what most people are listening to,” said student Megan McLaughlin, who is part of ALX’s team. “We are confident that the artists chosen will be an incredible addition to each festival’s lineup. Each artist really brings something unique to the table, and we are elated to be working with them."

BPMI 2019 Summer Festivals Schedule

MKULTRA
The Governors Ball | Featuring Tyler The Creator, Florence + The Machine, The Strokes
Sunday, June 2
What is MKULTRA? Think of MKULTRA as the name of a cinematic universe, while the Milk Man is one of the many characters in this universe. The Milk Man, Green Guy, Meat Man, and the Brain Child are all characters in a very complex mythology. On the album THE MKULTRA SHOW, the protagonist that speaks throughout most of the project is the Milk Man. MKULTRA draws listeners into his crazy universe of experimental hip-hop and a world of new sounds and feelings. Bring on the Milk Man.

Jobi Riccio
Country Lakeshake | Featuring Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan
Saturday, June 22
Jobi Riccio is a student songwriter and performer from Denver, Colorado. Inspired by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, and classic country and bluegrass, she writes songs with a folk and roots sensibility. Jobi has received acclaim for her writing, including being a finalist in the 2018 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter's Showcase. She also appeared on the Women In Music Spain chapter’s compilation Sincerely, Women. Jobi’s EP Strawberry Wine came out February 5.

ALX
Essence Festival | Featuring Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly
July 5–7
ALX (Aaron Gregory) is a student singer-songwriter from Jacksonville, Florida. “I used to be that nerdy kid that would spend his weekends watching Dragon Ball Z,” said ALX. “Now I'm that nerdy kid that spends his weekends watching Dragon Ball Z and making music.” He began following his passion at 14 and has since opened for T.I. and ELHAE. His creative lyricism, intricate beats, and influences – such as Trey Songz, Big Sean, Eric Bellinger, Omarion, and Ty Dolla $ign – are reflected in his music.

Jackie Foster
Lollapalooza | Featuring The Chainsmokers, Childish Gambino, Twenty One Pilots
Thursday, August 1
Jackie Foster is an award-winning vocalist from San Diego and a graduate of Berklee, where she attended as a recipient of the Berklee Lollapalooza Endowed Scholarship. Coming full circle, Foster becomes the first Lollapalooza scholarship recipient to perform at the festival. Foster distinguished herself as a semi-finalist on season 14 of NBC’s hit show The Voice, and was mentored by three different coaches: Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and Alicia Keys. Whether it’s pop, rock, R&B, or jazz, Foster’s warm, rich tone and powerhouse vocals can fill up a room and leave audiences wanting more. She is currently writing and ready to release new original music in 2019.

Roy Juno
Osheaga | Featuring The Lumineers, The Chemical Brothers, Tame Impala
Friday, August 2
Roy Juno is the name shared by three Allston, MA-based producers/instrumentalists. Led by alumnus lyricist/frontman Sayak Das, Roy Juno blends themes like struggling with identity, glorifying false heroes, and celebrity ego death, with sound design that transports the listener to an era where synthesizers were the vanguard of sensible pop. The rhythm section, alumni Henri Young (bass/synthesizer) and Josh Parra (drums, auxiliary sampling), pride themselves on seamlessly blending a wide range of backgrounds, resulting in a truly modern pop sound.

GOLDSPACE + Good Company
Music Midtown | Featuring Travis Scott, Panic! at the Disco, Billie Eilish
September 14-15
GOLDSPACE is an electro-pop/hip-hop duo composed of students Maia Quin and Andre Samuel. Their sound could be described as a blend of future R&B and hip-hop, although style and genre don't limit them from using all kinds of sounds and influences. With only three singles out, GOLDSPACE has appeared multiple times on Spotify’s biggest playlists, including Fresh Finds and Poptronix, and plan to release a series of singles and short EPs throughout 2019. GOLDSPACE frequently features producer and DJ Trey Kams and rapper Zaco, also Berklee students who collaborate under the name Good Company.