We’re back again, Boston.
🎓🎵 September 19 is a big moment for Boston music. Berklee College of Music is throwing its first-ever Homecoming Block Party, a daylong celebration of live music from some of its most famous alumni. If you’ve been looking for music that moves you, you just found it.
Until now, tickets have been exclusive to Berklee students and alum, but they’re finally on sale to the public at berklee.edu/homecoming.
👀 What’s on tap today:
A Grammy winner (!)
The queen of Afrobeats
A four-chair turn on The Voice
Up first…
A BOSTON ORIGINAL
Susan Tedeschi is coming home
🎸Susan Tedeschi grew up in Norwell Mass., attended Berklee, sang in the gospel choir, and graduated at 20 with a degree in music composition and performance. She went on to front a five-time Grammy nominated band and won Best Blues Album in 2012 for her album Revelator. Tedeschi is a Boston success story through and through, and will return to her roots on the Berklee stage as a solo act on September 19.
THE QUEEN OF AFROBEATS
Tiwa Savage: From a scholar to a star
🎶 Before the global stages and chart-toppers, Tiwa Savage was a 24-year-old student at Berklee studying Professional Music on scholarship. After graduating, she went straight to New York for songwriting sessions and even had an LA stint collaborating with Frank Ocean and Babyface. She then moved to Nigeria, where she became the first African artist signed to Jay Z's Roc Nation in 2016. Catch her talent IRL on September 19 at Berklee Homecoming.
A BERKLEE FIRST
Fabiola Méndez made history before she even left campus.
Fabiola Méndez is a Puerto Rican cuatrista, singer, and Emmy-nominated composer whose work explores her culture, ancestry, and identity. But her icon status came before her Emmy, because in 2018, she became the first student to graduate from Berklee with the cuatro as her principal instrument. Since then, she’s performed at NPR Tiny Desk, the Met, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. If you haven't seen her live yet, you can fix that on September 19.
GENRE BENDING UP CLOSE
Dreion closes it out.
Dreion BM '20 is a singer-songwriter and performer whose music blends gospel, soul, funk, and R&B. On Season 26 of The Voice, all four celebrity coaches turned their chairs for him during the blind auditions (which, if you’ve watched the show, is RARE). Dreion is also a foster care survivor who uses his platform to advocate for foster youth and systemic reform. His music hits as hard as his backstory, with inspiration coming from James Brown, Stevie Wonder, and Prince.
QUICK QUESTION
Which performance are you most excited for?
Let us know below!
ONE LAST THING
There’s MORE!?
🤭 We left one detail out. This powerhouse foursome of artists is just the confirmed lineup so far. Berklee has been rolling out names leading up to September 19 — meaning what's already been announced for Berklee Homecoming is just the beginning. Tickets are on sale now at berklee.edu/homecoming. Get in before the full lineup drops!
—written by Claire Nicholas (The editorial team was not involved in the creation of this B-Side Extra Edition)
🎶 Thanks for reading! Boston music history is being made — might as well be there for it!
💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, Berklee College of Music, for sponsoring this extra B-Side send and giving Boston a genuinely great reason to leave the air conditioning.