BPMI Presents 20th Annual Epic Event on March 30

The Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) presents its 20th annual Epic Event on Wednesday, March 30, at 7:00 p.m at Brighton Music Hall. The showcase will feature six artists chosen by students in the program to perform at some of the country’s most iconic summer festivals. BPMI takes students from the classroom to the biggest stages in the music world, providing an immersive experience in every aspect of artist development and touring.

This year’s lineup will feature Aiida, Among the Stars, CHARLEY, G Luné, Brandon Harris, and Matilda Marigolds performing styles ranging from pop, progressive rock, and country to hip-hop and soul/R&B. The artists will have the opportunity to appear on the main stages this summer at Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Bourbon & Beyond, Music Midtown, Inkcarceration, and Faster Horses. 

“Twenty years ago, this was just an idea; now it’s a yearly event. I’m always amazed by the students in the BPMI class, the talent they find, and the support we receive from the promoters we work with,” said Jeff Dorenfeld, BPMI founder and professor of music business/management. “Over the years, I’ve seen our students and artists graduate and find successful careers in the music business. As a professor, you can’t ask for more.” 

Students enrolled in BPMI reviewed more than 200 submissions in the fall and narrowed the field through a combination of factors, including recordings, videos, and live performances, to select the final artists. Each performer is paired with a group of four BPMI students who serve as the artist’s management team. Preparing for the summer festival season, the teams collaborate with the artists throughout the spring on artist development, marketing, promotion, digital presence, merchandise, sponsorships, and tour budgets.

“Being a senior can be daunting, but being selected for BPMI has given me confidence and opened up opportunities to pursue my career as a musical artist after graduation,” said CHARLEY, who will perform at Faster Horses later this year. 

This year's BPMI showcase will be held at Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Avenue, in Allston. Tickets are $12. 

About the Artists

Aiida

Aiida is a pop/R&B artist and singer-songwriter from Oslo, Norway, inspired by Aretha Franklin, Dagny, Robyn, and Dua Lipa. With a powerhouse voice and performances filled with energetic arrangements, Aiida knows how to rev up a crowd and leave them wanting more. Her single “Talk (About What?),” released last June, has received airplay on Norwegian radio and several Spotify placements.

Among the Stars

Blending elements of metal and prog rock, Among the Stars creates cosmic, heavy music. Founded by guitarist Matt Baker in 2017, the band recently added powerhouse vocalist Thalia Tymowski to a lineup that includes James O’Connor, Tanner Lively, and Nick Thorpe. The band's latest release, Gravitational Collapse, showcases challenging riffs, complex rhythms, and thought-provoking ideas. Their upcoming material features Tymowski's dynamic vocals, adding a new layer to the band's imaginative sound and performance style.

Brandon Harris

Hailing from Chicago, soul-inspired pop/R&B artist Brandon Harris found his voice in the church at age 10 and has been writing his own music ever since. Influenced by Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, and Frank Ocean, the singer and songwriter meshes intricate vocal layering with dreamy synths and classic hip-hop beats. A recipient of Berklee's prestigious North American Tour Scholarship, the 2021 graduate recently dropped a new EP, TWENTYONE, and a deluxe edition of his debut album, SALT, both of which are available on all streaming platforms.

CHARLEY

CHARLEY brings back the spirit of the 1970s through a unique rock-country-disco sound that falls somewhere in between Amy Winehouse and Led Zeppelin. Her music features powerful vocal melodies and meaningful lyrics that reflect on her personal experiences. Growing up in New Haven, Connecticut, CHARLEY found her passion for the performing arts at the age of 6 in the theater. As a child, she auditioned for many off- and on-Broadway productions and booked roles including Helen Keller (The Miracle Worker) and Elle Woods (Legally Blonde). She's also won several regional singing competitions and performed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. CHARLEY can usually be found dressed as a disco-cowgirl diva singing at venues across Boston and New England. 

G Luné 

Colombian-American indie-pop artist G Luné creates her own world through a multitude of sounds deriving from her deep musical background and influences that range from Remi Wolf to Spill Tab to Amy Winehouse. A former junior Olympian and accomplished athlete, she shifted her focus from athletics to music in her high school years. After studying classical and jazz in West Palm Beach, Florida, G Luné developed a playful world of sound and color while furthering her education at Berklee. She combines heartfelt, powerful lyrics with high-energy production and a colorful brand. Her fan-favorite single “BLOCKED” was written to give power back to all victims of abusive relationships. G Luné’s music can be found on all streaming platforms and has been featured on official Apple Music and Spotify playlists. When she is not in the studio working on her upcoming EP, SHUT UP AND LISTEN, she can be found playing in clubs across Boston and New York. 

Matilda Marigolds

When Matilda Marigolds, a New York City–based 18-year-old artist, is not dancing her way through the city listening to her millions of playlists, she is busy creating, producing, and writing music. Her music is a melodic reflection of her childhood and inner-emotional life. When asked who she makes music for, she said, “I make music for anyone who needs to hear it. My general target audience is grandparents, mid-20-year-olds in identity crisis, and really anyone who feels like they need to be understood, which is basically everyone.” Her music can be found somewhere on a spectrum between Phoebe Bridgers, Fiona Apple, Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, and Fleetwood Mac.

About BPMI

The Berklee Popular Music Institute is an immersive education program that takes students from the classroom to the festival stage. Under the guidance of Jeff Dorenfeld, former manager of the band Boston, the students work in all facets of the music industry, including A&R, artist development, recording, booking, promotion, social media, sponsorship, and live shows.

BPMI serves as a springboard for careers in the music industry. Alumni of the program have gone on to work at Interscope, Capitol, DreamWorks, BMG, Universal, Live Nation, AEG Live, Oak View Group, DWP, YouTube, Google, CAA, ICM, Paradigm, WME, Billions, Snapchat, the Lincoln Center, Red Bull, Spotify, Stem, Republic, Red Light Management, Songkick, Kobalt, Sony, Darkroom, and C3.

BPMI’s label, Heavy Rotation Records (HRR), has released 18 albums since 1995, including Shekinah: 13 Artists, distributed by Epic; Apollo Sunshine’s eponymous second album, coreleased with spinART; Dorm Sessions 1–13; and Under the Influence. Notable artists who have appeared on HRR albums include Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Christopher Barnes (Gem Club), Shea Rose, Nini & Ben (HAERTS), Big D & the Kids Table, and members of Passion Pit (as the Peasantry).