Berklee Students Take Center Stage at Boston Calling

Berklee College of Music students are stepping into the spotlight at Boston Calling, with a dedicated stage that highlights their musical prowess. This year, the festival features a jazz lounge atmosphere, offering a fresh platform for emerging artists.

Freshman Su Yavuz, an experienced performer in the Boston music scene, expressed her excitement about this unique opportunity. "I was, of course, like shocked," Yavuz remarked. "Like this is amazing and surreal, especially right now I'm a freshman at Berklee and as a freshman to be doing this, just feels so surreal."

Yavuz plans to showcase a diverse array of genres throughout the festival. "Kendrick, Dochii, I like to mix it up and play instrumentals, get influences and providing the rap picks, kinda like stuff like that, which is really interesting, but really fun to play," she explained.

Joining her is fellow student Manuela Sanchez Goubert, who is eager to demonstrate her skills. "It feels like a reaffirmation of all the work that I've been doing throughout my career," Goubert stated. "I think a lot of the time as artists, we feel like our work is kind of going into the emptiness and it's like not seen by anybody, but when things like this come, it's like a reassurance that I'm on the right path, that the work that I'm doing counts for something and that I'm making a difference with music."

The selection process for this opportunity was competitive; only seven students were chosen from over 100 applicants. "What made these individuals stand out is a little bit, I guess, diversity and genre. Berklee has a lot to offer as far as from the people who come here," said Michael Borgida, director of concert and video production at Berklee.

Each artist brings a distinct sound and style to the stage. "We have Latin jazz, as you heard," Borgida noted. "And then there's some soul music and R&B in there as well with jazz. So I think diversity, professionalism, and just having worked with some of these people before, I knew that they would be great fits."

These talented musicians are now part of Boston Calling's legacy. Performer Tiril Jackson shared her enthusiasm: "I just love music festivals. It's summer, everyone's having a good time. We're all gathered listening to music. It's just like the best."

Last year, Berklee alum Kieran Rhodes made waves on the Blue Stage just one week after graduation. This year, indie-pop band Lucius, also comprised of Berklee alumni, is set to perform.

Breana Pitts serves as a traffic reporter on WBZ-TV weekday mornings.