Current Berklee Popular Music Institute Artists

For information on how to apply to the Berklee Popular Music Institute (BPMI) as an artist, please keep an eye on our website and social media pages for an announcement regarding the submission process in September 2021. 

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BPMI is proud to have worked with the following artists during the 2020–2021 academic year: 

ZORA

Zora is a singer, songwriter, and producer who makes music straight from the heart. She draws from musical influences such as Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Beyoncé in order to give her listeners an unforgettable experience. Zora began writing her own music at 15 years old and released her debut album at 16. Since her acceptance to Berklee College of Music on scholarship at 17, she has released music under her self-owned record label Tinytown that reflects her identity as an artist, including her 2020 EP, Perfect. At 18, she released her sophomore album, MILLENNIAL, which landed her radio airplay and press. Shortly after, Zora began drafting a new plan for herself as she knew that she always wanted to own the rights to her original music. With multiple projects already in the works for 2021, Zora has made it clear that she's an artist to be watched. 

MYIA THORNTON

Myia Thornton's passion for both R&B and hip-hop is widely shown throughout her music. 
She has been producing music since the age of 12. In the summer of 2018, she released her first single, “Friends.” The love she received from that single inspired her to release her first EP, Mood 4 the Moment, written, produced, mixed, and mastered on her own from her bedroom. A year later, she released two singles and another EP called Fixed, where she experimented with new ideas and sounds. 
In
 2021, she's set to release new music showcasing more of her artistry on the alternative side while still blending her R&B background with her new sound.

SWEET PETUNIA

The folk-Americana duo Sweet Petunia was established in 2018 after members Madison Simpson and Mairead Guy met while studying under Greg Lizst, a member of the Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band. Sweet Petunia uses powerful lyricism to bring love, advocacy, and the roots tradition to the college DIY scene, urging everyone around them, regardless of race, sexuality, ability, or gender identity, that they deserve happiness and empowerment. Established in the summer of 2018, they have gone on to perform up and down the Eastern seaboard, mesmerizing crowds with their ability to silence a room at the turn of a voice and a word.

THE Q-TIP BANDITS

Since their inception in early 2018, the Q-Tip Bandits have emerged onto the Boston music scene as an energetic and vibrant act that continues to touch audiences’ hearts while getting them up on their feet. Their smooth, yet powerful sound is backed by the raw energy of rock and the coolness and colors of R&B and funk, with grooves; savory, soul-inspired riffs; anthemic horns; and meaningful lyrics. With their music, the Q-Tip Bandits aim to capture the freedom and joy that are found on the other side of hardship and to show that happiness is not a light that is void of darkness, but a balance of the two.

EDUARDO OMONDI

EduArdo Omondi is an Afro-pop/R&B artist from Nairobi, Kenya. His rich tone and innovative style take root in reggae, soul, and traditional African music. He aims to merge these genres in a more modern and original style, ranging from pop and EDM to Afro-beat, and everything in between. His music calls for an ever-expanding audience, free from prejudice and stigmas. Give ear to this young lion’s roar.

AIIDA

Aiida (Aida Frantzen) is a pop artist, singer, and songwriter from Oslo, Norway. With a voice and performance skills like no other, catchy hooks, and clever lyrics, she depicts ambivalent and unbalanced emotions to make people feel less lonely when going through the waves of life. After many years of performing and songwriting, she released her debut single, "More than a Minute," in September 2020. It can be found on all streaming platforms. 

SURVIVE THE SUN

Deathcore group Survive the Sun came together at Berklee College of Music when guitarist Jackson Snowden and drummer Jake Thompson moved into the same dorm their freshman year. The natural creativity and close living environment quickly led to dorm room writing and recording sessions with bass player Ethan Emery and lead vocalist Micah Burch. After almost being tossed out of their dorm due to noise complaints, they moved on to playing house shows and clubs in the Boston metal scene. 

Burch is an Australian postdoctoral researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a research fellow at Harvard Medical School focusing on the genetic contribution to cardiovascular diseases in zebrafish. He says, “The intellectual nature of heavy music augments my creativity in science, while science feeds the conceptual framework for me as a vocalist. I use both to understand and relate to the world around me. Both my music and my science represent powerful platforms to positively influence the world in impactful and meaningful ways.” Snowden studies metal guitar performance under Joe Stump, who has performed alongside Yngwie Malmsteen, Slash, Kiss, and Vinnie Moore (UFO and Alice Cooper). Snowden is currently a recording engineer at Royal Studios in Memphis (Al Green, Ike and Tina, Bruno Mars, and Rod Stewart). Thompson studied drums under Grammy-winner Paul T. Riddle (Marshall Tucker Band and the Allman Brothers Band) after transitioning from working as a full-time classical percussionist. Emery studies bass performance under David Marvuglio, who has performed with Ice Nine Kills, the Smyrk, Gary Karr, Bill Pierce, and the Narrative. Emery is an active performer in the Boston, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles music scenes.

Survive the Sun can be found on all streaming and social media platforms. 

TRISTAN SIMONE

Rapper and singer-songwriter Tristan Simone captures the styles of his multicultural heritage in his artistry, which emerges from years of training in jazz, R&B, and Latin music. His distinguished sound captures the musical essences of the many places he has called home, including Mexico City, Madrid, London, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Boston, Maine, and Costa Rica.

Simone was accepted to Berklee College of Music as a rap vocalist, where his talent was recognized with the Berklee Achievement Scholarship. While at Berklee, he quickly became a leader of many large production shows paying tribute to some of his idols like T-Pain and Lana Del Rey. Simone has performed for Justin Timberlake, Tia Ray, Missy Elliott, T-Pain, Patáx, and industry legend Sylvia Rhone. He captivates in venues ranging from museums to stadiums with his infectious energy and memorable wit.

PISTACIA

Vic Gregg is the dynamic gen-Z singer-songwriter and band leader of the hardcore group Pistacia, a moniker drawn from the ancient practice of Egyptian mummification. With over a decade of classical voice and Polynesian and hula dance training, Gregg focuses on bringing a unique flavor to the Boston hardcore scene with Pistacia. Her songwriting wrestles with topics ranging from income inequality to physical and emotional abuse and her ongoing conflict with insomnia. After meeting in a Pierce the Veil directed study at Berklee College of Music, Ron Bernhaut (bass) and Théo Chaouat (guitar and vocals) fulfill the group’s sound and aesthetic with progressive and prescient edge. 

Bassist Bernhaut was born to a Broadway vocalist and dancer, and thus has always had music in his DNA. He was awarded a full-tuition scholarship to attend a Berklee College of Music five-week rock workshop and has studied under David Marvuglio (Ice Nine Kills), received an endowed scholarship from Mike Gordon (Phish), and performed with anime rockstar Casey Lee Williams (RWBY). Bernhaut was a session bassist for the popular YouTube channel Defunctland last summer. His bass work has received over 1.6 million streams on Spotify. 

Having learned English at the age of 4, guitarist Chaouat developed an early aptitude for auditory learning. He studied classical piano and flamenco guitar before developing an affinity for heavy metal with its syncopated, morose, and enigmatic tendencies. Chaouat has shared the stage with legendary artists such as Chelsea Grin, Wage War, Lorna Shore, and Oceans Ate Alaska.

Pistacia can be found on all streaming and social media platforms.

MOM ROCK

Mom Rock is a hard-hitting, upbeat rock band based in Boston. Members Curtis Heimburger (vocals and acoustic guitar), Josh Polack (vocals and electric guitar), and Wilson Reardon (drums) bonded in their first year studying at Berklee College of Music in 2018 over a mutual love for Weezer, and later added Tara Maggiulli (vocals and bass), whom Polack met on a School of Rock All-Stars tour in high school, to round out their lineup. Their sound is inspired by bands such as Cage the Elephant, Bleachers, and Catfish and the Bottlemen. 

Mom Rock started making waves in 2019 and has reached over 2 million streams and 350 thousand listeners on Spotify while cutting their teeth on Boston's DIY music scene. In a short few years, they’ve gained a reputation for their electrifying performances consisting of their eclectic original songs and monochrome get-ups. Since then, they’ve shared the stage with the likes of Sports Team, Weakened Friends, and Adult Mom. Mom Rock has also been featured on channels such as Berklee College of Music’s YouTube and Instagram pages as well as Alternative Press and Sound of Boston, and were voted winners of the Suburban Rose Magazine Internet Indie Awards. They’ve earned spots at festivals including Osheaga and the Rock Boat. Keep a close eye on them for singles and an EP to be released this summer.