#HerBerklee
We asked nine female Berklee students to show us around their world.
These are their words,
their images, and their stories.
This is #HerBerklee.
Eva Sita
Berklee College of Music
First Ivorian female student in Berklee history; recipient of the 2019 Golden Artistic Award for International Revelation
Dana Fakhoury
Berklee Valencia
Head of sound for Sofar Valencia; music production workshop leader with She Knows Tech
Dom Jones
Berklee College of Music
Former editor in chief of Berklee Groove; composer for Hear Her Song project
“If you want it, go for it. Nothing to be scared of.”
Karla Rivera Lozada
Berklee College of Music
Brings flamenco, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and all aspects of Latin music to venues such as Wally’s Cafe, Bodega Canal, and Amazing Things Art Center
Zoe Schneider
Berklee Valencia
Campus activist with Free the Tampons, Black Music Matters, Berklee “Day Without Women” and more; Black History Month activities coordinator; Boston coordinator for TEDxBerkleeValencia
Madison Simpson
Berklee College of Music
Cocreator and current videographer of Tiny Dorm Sessions, which provides a free and accessible outlet for local artists to share their music in a professional setting. One-half of folk/Americana duo Sweet Petunia
“Always keep your head up high and believe that no one is better than you, but you are not better than anyone.”
Jamie Smith
Berklee College of Music
Peer health educator at Berklee’s Office of Health and Wellness; public relations manager for the Berklee production of Jekyll and Hyde; solo performer for Berklee Radio Disney
Jiayi Wang
Boston Conservatory at Berklee
Performs in Boston’s Old South Church as a soprano in the Boston Conservatory Chorale
Haeun You
Berklee College of Music
Performs at Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Hall with the Berklee Contemporary Symphony Orchestra
“I want to make people dance and let loose. I want to make people delve into thought and introspection. I want to bring people together through art and music.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A
#HERBERKLEE STUDENT.
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
“Cooking is a passion of mine and maybe the only thing besides performing that takes me totally out of my mind. I feel at peace when I am creating something in the kitchen, especially if I am feeding someone else. I love to make huge meals to share with friends and family. It’s my ultimate form of stress relief.”
10:00 a.m. Morning Class
“My favorite class is African Strings Ensemble. Everyone is really skilled, and listening to these musicians play week after week is a delight.”
“My favorite class is Music Marketing for the DIY Musician. You spend the semester writing a complete marketing plan for a product. I’m writing my marketing plan for the Sweet Petunia album we’re planning to release in the fall. It’s a super informative class and has helped me plan for my duo!”
What’s your favorite class?
"My favorite class this semester is Senior Seminar for Songwriting. I get one-on-one coaching around how to prepare for life as a songwriter and musician after Berklee, and take actual steps toward reaching some of my career goals before graduation. I’m pitching songs, making recording timelines for new music, and yes, applying for jobs."
- Dom Jones
"Although it is challenging, I really appreciate my entrepreneurship practicum. I am constantly coming up with ideas and this class is preparing me with the tools to execute them. Alex Perrin is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. He’s always so prepared and knowledgeable in regard to the subject matter, but he is also so supportive and invested in his students’ success."
- Zoe Schneider
“My favorite class meets every Wednesday morning where we contemplate the biology of happiness. We talk about areas such as sleep, contemplative practices, stress, gratitude, forgiveness, and much more. It allows me to break down things that we experience on the daily and understand how to work with them.”
- Karla Rivera Lozada
12:00 p.m. Lunchtime
In our headphones
Stream the #HerBerklee playlist and find out what’s inspiring these students right now.
2:00 p.m. Afternoon Class
What’s stressing you out?
“Learning an aria by Handel: ‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.’ Although I love to sing melismatic passages to show off my technical abilities, it’s often rather difficult for me to sing correctly without slip-sliding through the phrases.”
- Jiayi Wang
“It’s midterms week: therefore, it has been stressful to study for and complete projects for all my different classes. On top of that, there is the constant artist struggle of ‘Am I doing enough? Am I good enough?’”
- Jamie Smith
“Everything. I need to memorize the lyrics to these songs for the Sylvia Rhone tribute, finish writing songs for John Michael’s senior recital and record reference demos, enter my song into Songs for Social Change, wrap up some things in the year in review print edition of Berklee Groove, and do well on all of my exams and projects.”
- Dom Jones
4:00 p.m. Rehearsal
How did you meet your bandmates?
“I met my duo partner and best friend in Greg Liszt’s 21st-Century String Band ensemble during our second semester. We were supposed to meet with a third member to practice before class, but he stood us up. We ended up talking for an hour, and realized that we liked all the same music and wanted the exact same career path: to be in an all-female, folk/Americana group. Thus, Sweet Petunia was born.”
- Madison Simpson
“It was the first school day of Berklee. We talked and we noticed we have the same taste, thoughts and values, and even our lifestyles were quite similar. We became best friends really quickly. We went shopping together, went to a picnic and ate together. She is a singer, and I’m a pianist, so we practiced together and covered songs. We spent so much time together and we became more than friends. We cared about each other, and we supported each other. We became precious sisters to each other.”
- Haeun You
7:00 p.m. Take a Break
I enjoy drawing, writing a poem, working out, watching movies, and reading books. I believe all the art parts are connected to each other. I can get creative inspiration when I read books.
-Haeun You
8:00 p.m. to Infinity: In the Studio
How do you get over a creative block?
“My favorite thing to do is sit down with my notebook and just write down anything and everything that comes to my mind. I don’t worry about theme or narrative or if any of it makes any sense; I just write until I’ve completely filled a page or two. Then, I leave it for a while and go and do something that interests me, whether that’s hanging out with friends, or singing a song I’ve already written, or embroidering.”
- Madison Simpson
“Anything can be a source of inspiration: the train passing me on the street, a couple arguing at the bus stop, a sudden blast of unexpected rain on an otherwise sunny day. Everything is a song, and once you realize that, there are no obstacles... just opportunities.”
- Dom Jones
“I love to be in the studio, even if I’m just there to support a friend. Every time I’m in that space, it reminds me of the magic of music and spontaneity.
The magic is in the moments we never expect to happen. One day you’ll have a one-take wonder and the next you’ll have to keep going until you get the take you want. Everyone adds their own little bit of magic to the mix.”
The Weekend: Be Yourself
“I want to express who I am as much as possible instead of copying others. ”
“No one can beat you at being you. There’s only one. You don’t always have to be the fastest or the one doing the craziest riffs on your instrument. Discipline, consistency, and focus will help position you as a leader. And a leader has staying power.”
“Often I come across people that have a wrong vision of my country, even my continent. I want to be an ambassador of this new African youth: educated, hardworking, relevant.”
Advice for the class of 2019, from Missy Elliott
