BPMI to Host 22nd Annual Showcase at Brighton Music Hall on April 17

BPMI to Host 22nd Annual Showcase at Brighton Music Hall on April 17 The Berklee Popular Music Institute will showcase performances from six rising stars who are scheduled to perform at major music festivals this summer in addition to premiering BPMI Live's forthcoming docuseries.

By

Tori Donahue

March 14, 2024

Maz & Kidd Revel is one of six featured acts performing at the BPMI showcase on April 17 at Brighton Music Hall.

Image by Arsalaan Ishaq

The Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) will host its 22nd annual showcase on Wednesday, April 17, at 7:00 p.m. at Brighton Music Hall. Featuring performances by a selection of six artists scouted by its 2024 student cohort, this event will shine a light on the rising stars set to hit major festival stages this summer. In addition to the concert, the cinematic-themed evening will include the premiere of a docuseries recounting the unique experience of the BPMI Live class of 2023.

BPMI Live, the institutes immersive three-semester program, offers students a hands-on opportunity to expand their skills beyond traditional classroom learning and into the vibrant world of live music. This year's BPMI Live artists include Maz & Kidd Revel, Kyle Ray, Project MishraM, Fifteen0eight, and Samantha McKaige. Their talents, spanning genres including hip-hop, country, hard rock, and folk, have earned them coveted spots at renowned festivals such as Faster Horses, Bourbon & Beyond, Louder Than Life, and Governors Ball.

Under the guidance of Morgan Milardo, the institutes managing director, the class reviews hundreds of artist applications to discover new BPMI talent. Once selected, each artist is paired with a dedicated group of BPMI students who serve as their management team. Together, they collaborate on various aspects of artist development, including marketing, promotion, digital presence, merchandising, sponsorships, and tour budgeting, ensuring a comprehensive and strategic approach to their careers.

This years showcase is sponsored by Citizens Live and presented in partnership with Live Nation New England. Tickets are $10. Brighton Music Hall is located at 158 Brighton Avenue in Allston.

Learn more about this years artists below.

Samantha McKaigeSamantha McKaige is a guitar-playing, Americana-singing, folk- and country-loving songwriter who takes inspiration from the landscapes around her, including the forests and peaks of her Pacific Northwest home, the beaches of Northern California, and the rivers of the Rockies. Heartache and travel inspire the themes of her lyrics, with her eclectic sound reflecting musical influences Caamp, the Highwomen, and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Taking pride in the DIY elements of an independent musician, McKaige books all of her own shows and tours, having played over 100 gigs around the United States. McKaige has shared stages with artists such as Hunter Hayes, Ezra Bell, Lucy Wainwright Roche, Suzzy Roche, and Copilot. She has performed at historic and esteemed venues such as Brighton Music Hall in Boston, the Sunset Tavern in Seattle, and Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles. Her music has been featured in Spotify's Fresh Finds playlist and has amassed over 100,000 streams. McKaige's EP Bury Me Please in the Puget Sound can be found on all streaming platforms.

Project MishraMProject MishraM is a progressive Carnatic fusion band that seamlessly blends Western genres like modern progressive metal, djent, funk, jazz, and electronic with the intricate rhythms of Indian classical music. Originally from Bangalore, the bands unique music has earned them critical acclaim at prestigious festivals like UK Tech-Fest and ArcTanGent, where they have shared stages with top progressive metal acts such as Leprous, Vildhjarta, and Devin Townsend. Their debut album, Meso, was nominated for Best Debut Album by the ProgSpace Awards in 2021. A feature in Rolling Stone India and subsequent tours in the United Kingdom and Europe have solidified their global presence. MishraM continues to captivate audiences with their innovative sound.

Maz & Kidd RevelTwo uniquely talented artists in their own right, Maz and Kidd Revel share a live set that showcases their undeniable creative bond-one that celebrates life, creativity, and the journey of self-discovery. Maz, an artist-producer buzzing in the alternative hip-hop scene of Boston by way of S o Paulo, blends overblown and mellow production with an unconventional delivery, attributing much of his inspiration from his DJ father. Kidd Revel is a musical maverick from Los Angeles, with a distinctive kaleidoscope of sound that spans an eclectic fusion of genres-rap, hyperpop, alternative rock, ambient, and drum 'n' bass. Maz and Kidd Revel met at Berklee College of Music, where they fused their individual upbringings to forge a unique sonic soundscape based on their shared love for hip-hop. After amassing multiple sold-out shows in Boston with artists such as Quadry, WHYTRI, and Radamiz, the duo looks to continue to spread their ethos of unwavering, infectious energy to the rest of the world.

Kyle RayKyle Ray is redefining a genre by infusing the rebelliousness of classic outlaw country with the harmonic and lyrical richness of bluegrass and folk. Taking inspiration from artists like Johnny Cash and Chris Stapleton, his catalog spans from weary acoustic ballads to upbeat energetic tracks. Ray's debut single, If It's Taxed, It Ain't Shine, released in early 2024, evokes a raw and captivating sound, with lyrical content pulling from the beautiful and tragic experiences of his upbringing in small-town Kentucky. Kyle Ray is just beginning to make his mark on the country music landscape.

Fifteen eightFifteen eight is an alternative-pop/electronic duo formed by Daphne Eleftheriadou and Tomer Oron. Their music, characterized by mesmerizing drum patterns, ethereal v

LINK:	https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/bpmi-to-host-22nd-annual-show...
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