Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) is sending six student and alumni 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-MKULTRA, Jobi Riccio, ALX, Jackie Foster, Roy Juno, and GOLDSPACE + Good Company-will 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 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 Im 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 Id be on the same stage. Five years later, here I am gearing up for one of the biggest stages, and its 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
The Governors Ball (Featuring: Tyler, the Creator, Florence + the Machine, the Strokes) New York City, New York | May 31-June 2
Artist: MKULTRA
Think of MKULTRA as the name of a cinematic universe. The Milk Man, Green Guy, Meat Man, and the Brain Child are all characters in this universe. On the album THE MKULTRA SHOW, the protagonist that speaks throughout most of the project is the Milk Man. MKULTRA draws listeners into his universe of experimental hip-hop and a world of new sounds and feelings.
Country LakeShake Featuring Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan Chicago, Illinois | June 21-23
Artist: Jobi Riccio
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. Riccio has received acclaim for her writing, including being a finalist in the 2018 Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase. She also appeared on the Women In Music Spain chapter's compilation Sincerely, Women. Her EP Strawberry Wine came out on February 5.
Essence Festival Featuring Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Maze New Orleans, Louisiana | July 5-7
Artist: ALX
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 Im 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.
Lollapalooza Featuring the Chainsmokers, Childish Gambino, Twenty One Pilots Chicago, Illinois | August 1-4
Artist: Jackie Foster
An award-winning vocalist from San Diego, California, Jackie Foster B.M. 18 comes full circle as the first recipient of the Berklee Lollapalooza Endowed Scholarship to perform at the festival. Foster distinguished herself as a semifinalist on season 14 of NBC's hit show The Voice, and was mentored by 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 planning to release new original music in 2019.
Osheaga Featuring the Lumineers, the Chemical Brothers, Tame Impala Montreal, Canada | August 2-4
Artist: Roy Juno
Roy Juno is the name shared by three Allston, Massachusetts-based producers/instrumentalists. Led by lyricist/frontman Sayak Das B.M. 18, 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. Rhythm section Henri Young B.M. 17 (bass/synthesizer) and Josh Parra 17 (drums, auxiliary sampling) pride themselves on seamlessly blending a wide range of backgrounds, resulting in a truly modern pop sound.
Musi
North America Stories
19/05/2026
Cisco and the USGA have announced a multiyear extension of their partnership, which began in 2018. Cisco serves as the Official Technology Partner of the USGA, ...
19/05/2026
Urban Edge Network (UEN), a streaming platform for NAIA sports, has announced a partnership with Spiideo to provide streaming and production tools to UEN's ...
19/05/2026
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) will provide live coverage of all 900 Roland-Garros matches across its platforms beginning with qualifiers on May 18. In Europe, 21...
19/05/2026
Tubi, Fox Corporation's free streaming service, has announced the launch of the FIFA World Cup 2026 FOX Hub, a dedicated destination for World Cup programmi...
19/05/2026
Telef nica, in collaboration with Sony, has conducted a 5G connectivity trial at the Movistar Arena in Spain using the 26 GHz millimetre wave (mmWave) band. The...
19/05/2026
Ross Production Services (RPS) has installed a Calrec Argo M console into its new Hypermax-1 remote production truck, replacing one of three Argo S consoles pre...
19/05/2026
Panasonic Projector and Display Corporation has announced the acquisition of 100% of the shares of UK-based media technology company Hive Media Control Ltd. (HI...
19/05/2026
Globecast has announced the completion of a nine-month renovation of its Singapore facility, converting it from a traditional linear broadcast operation into a ...
19/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced a three-year enterprise agreement with Phoenix Broadc...
19/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that Watch Brasil, a streaming platform operating across Brazil and Europe since 2018, has replaced its legacy systems with Bitmovin'...
19/05/2026
Ateme has announced the migration of Dish Home Nepal's Nepal Premier League (NPL) streaming infrastructure to Ateme's TITAN Live solution deployed on Ak...
19/05/2026
CMSI provided workflow, media management, and HDR support for ESPN during coverage of the NCAA Gymnastics Semifinals and Championships. The company supported fi...
19/05/2026
In advance of this year's Sports Emmy Awards, SVG is taking a deep dive into the six production-technologies nominated for this year's George Wensel Tec...
19/05/2026
In advance of this year's Sports Emmy Awards, SVG is taking a deep dive into the six production-technologies nominated for this year's George Wensel Tec...
19/05/2026
Featuring a fully IP infrastructure, Supershooter 11 is intended for large-scale events. Enabling remote and distributed workflows, Supershooter 65 joins the RE...
19/05/2026
By Jessica Herndon
The line wrapped around the building outside Denver's La...
19/05/2026
When all companies in the market are allowed to compete under the same set of ru...
19/05/2026
Battle-proven technology withstands electronic warfare threats across air, maritime surface and subsea domains....
19/05/2026
WESCAM MX-Series EO/IR systems provide high-precision targeting across domains, including counter-UAS applications...
19/05/2026
Champaign, IL - March 16, 2026 Cobalt Digital, the leading designer and manufa...
19/05/2026
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. April 16, 2026 - Cobalt Digital today announced a partnership ...
19/05/2026
Las Vegas - April 18, 2026 Cobalt Digital, the leading designer and manufactur...
19/05/2026
LAS VEGAS April 18, 2026 - Advanced HDR by Technicolor and Cobalt Digital are ...
19/05/2026
LAS VEGAS - May 4, 2026 - Cobalt Digital, the leading designer and manufacturer of signal processing products, and a founding partner in the openGear initiativ...
19/05/2026
London - 11 May 2026 Cobalt Digital, the leading designer and manufacturer of award-winning signal processing products, and a founding partner in the openGear...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Grass Valley has entered into a three-year enterprise agreement with Phoenix Broadcast Solutions as the Singapore-based company expands its live production oper...
19/05/2026
Clear-Com supported Musikal Perahu Kertas, a large-scale musical theater production in Indonesia adapted from the acclaimed novel by Dee Lestari, through the d...
19/05/2026
Actus Digital, a LiveU company, and a leading provider of intelligent media monitoring and broadcast compliance platforms, announced today that METEO CONSULT ha...
19/05/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of managed services for the broadcast and media industry, today announced the completion of a major renovation of its Singapore fa...
19/05/2026
Following a major upgrade to its Connecticut remote production centre with the installation of three 60-fader Argo S consoles in 2023, RPS has switched one of t...
19/05/2026
PlayBox Technology today announced the launch of Celebro Play, a browser-based media orchestration platform designed specifically for broadcast facilities and p...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions for broadcast, post, and professional AV will showcase its latest signal processing solutions at B...
19/05/2026
Media Links, a leading developer and manufacturer of IP media transport solutions, has announced the integration of its Xscend platform with Skyline Communicat...
19/05/2026
Collaboration expands regional partner ecosystem as Media Links showcases IP media transport solutions on stand 4M4-4 and alongside Clearcast Asia on stand
Me...
19/05/2026
Company Highlights Labor-Saving Control and Custom Branding Opportunities Designed to Increase Integrator Profitability
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of ele...
19/05/2026
Mago Studio Moves AI Video Beyond Prompts with New Production-Focused Tools
Brie Clayton May 18, 2026
0 Comments
New Capabilities Bring Controllable, ...
19/05/2026
It May be Time to Stop and Take an AI Breather
Brie Clayton May 19, 2026
0 Comments
If the rock you stay on starts to roll, jump clean. Or you'll...
19/05/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer for RAFA, the Documentary Series A...
19/05/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Expands Consumer Products Footprint with Strategic Con...
19/05/2026
Matt Derella Expands Leadership Across LinkedIn Ads and Microsoft Advertising Published on May 19, 2026 Categories: Company News
LinkedIn Corporate Commun...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) is sending six student and alumni 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.
